State Of Flux
by nom de gurre
Summary: "Fate brings together those with similar destinies. Truly, I believe that. This is not happenstance or coincidence that all of us are synced in some way or another. This country is corrupt, rotting. But in this chaos the universe has brought numerous strong and righteous individuals together who are determined to reconstruct this land with good and peace, to save our future." -Ava
1. Stupid Duck

_Alright, so here it goes._

_This will follow the FmaB storyline. There will be diversions, however, they will just be elaborations and alternate fulfillments of the original plot._

_Please be forgiving of some errors, I am human after all _

_Enjoy!_

**State of Flux**

Intro:

It was screams and light. The air was alive with the sparks of transmutation. Then, silence, it all went dead. The room: blanketed in red everywhere. Singed smells of copper and ozone penetrated the space- a failure.

The neighbors found the five year old dazed, wandering the streets. She knew how to speak, how to read, how to write, but her name? No. Her home? What home? What family?

Chapter 1:

"Let's go! The customers are waiting!" A pinchy faced man yelled. Grey hair sweeping in a wide arc away from his forehead. Mr. len.

"I got it, I got it." Ava droned, focusing on the hot stove top, not the nagging restaurant owner.

"You're backing up!" He peered in through the swinging kitchen door.

"Look, hire more people if you want things to run faster! There're twelve people out there and one of me." She glowered at him; honest blue eyes became sapphire daggers.

"No, you- you just _work_ faster!" Not fazed by her attitude, he stepped back, the door swung closed.

"If you weren't such a jerk maybe everyone else wouldn't have quit..." Ava grumbled pushing back strands of black hair away from her eyes with her forearm.

"What was that you-!" he poked back in.

"Oder up!" She yelled over him, smacking the serve bell as hard as she could. The evening kept on like this.

Hours later she stared at the kitchen, looking as defeated as she felt. Having worked sun up to well after sundown she ached all over. The counters shined, the floors dried, she flicked the lights off. She headed out of the back door, front of shop was closed up hours ago. Ava slammed that door as hard as she could, the whole rickety diner shook, and she turned the locks. The fresh night air was a welcomed sensation.

"And so, another day for the history books," She sighed heavily and tossed a hefty trash bag into a bin. "Oh shi-!" The bin toppled over taking with it the owners prized duck statue.

"Oh why…," she whined, staring at the pile of stone, clearly no longer belonging to any recognizable shape. Mr. Len loved that silly thing. Said it protected the place from evil spirits and bad omens, amidst other mumbo jumbo. This had perplexed her, seeing as he kept it in the back of the store, next to the trash. "..Crazy old man." She whispered with a sharp tongue.

Well, it surely wasn't going to fix itself, also, she was sure to get the worst reprimanding of her life if she left this here in pieces. Exhaling, she clapped her hands together and forcefully thrust them palms down in the dirt near the broken statue. The pieces all rippled with light and within a few short moments it was whole again, good as new.

"There, you stupid duck, all better," She dusted her palms on her apron some dust getting on her baggy black pants. "Although, I really wish I could have left you in pieces."

She stood up, stretched her back and headed toward the back gate, well, side gate, the restaurant nestled itself on a corner lot. Ava blew a puff of air to remove her bangs where they poked annoyingly at her eyes and looked out where movement across the street caught her attention; she glanced for a moment and saw the oddest pair. A tall man, or whom she'd assumed would be a man, in a suit of armor, and a short blond haired boy in a red coat.

They stared at her a little funny and feeling a little awkward she gave a halfhearted smile and a quick two finger salute. They waved back wordlessly.

She turned and started walking home. One foot after another, she was so tired. Ava tugged at the aprons tie around her neck and it faltered and drooped, folding at her waist. The once white garment was now covered with bits of this, and bits of that. She shrugged out of her baggy black T-shirt and threw it over her shoulder, her grey tank underneath darkening from sweat. She fiddled with her hair, releasing it from a tight bun and pulling it back into a ponytail, brushing her side parted bangs back to their correct directions.

"Rush valley is so great! Isn't this place just beautiful?" she remembered a girl saying earlier from somewhere in the diner. She chuffed at the memory.

Rush valley was hot. Sand, dirt, and dust got into everything. Not to mention all the half bionic men and women where always trying to one-up each other in some competition or another. She looked to the night sky and stretched her tense shoulders.

"H-Hey!" Someone called from behind her.

She blinked and looked over her shoulder, it was the odd pair from earlier, she stopped walking and turned around. They jogged toward her. The blonds boot's dug into the gravel laden sand and the armored one clanked and thudded loudly.

"What's up?" Ava wondered, for a moment, that maybe she messed up their order earlier and they were back to exact their revenge, but tossed that thought aside, it didn't seem like that to her.

"So you're an alchemist!" The blond with the red coat stated.

"Oh, that," She looked toward the direction of the shop. Stupid duck. "Yeah, I guess you could say that." She rubbed the back of her head grinning, a little proud of herself.

"Brother and I were wondering, where you learned to do that witho -" The Armor spoke but was cut off by a kick from his 'brother'

"-With such skill!" The shorter one interjected quickly.

Ava wasn't a halfwit; however, she knew what they really wanted to know. "-without a circle." The tall one would have finished. She furrowed her brow and look over the two brothers.

That boy in the armor, he sounded so young! Something wasn't right here, but she couldn't put a finger on it. "You," She looked at the taller brother, how old are you?" Her eyes narrowed slightly from all the mental calculations that where whirring around her mind.

"Uh, F-Fourteen?" he squeaked, being caught off guard by the question.

"You're _really_ tall for a fourteen year old." Her words carried a disguised weight. She could feel something different about him. In his energy, in his being. 'Chi' as her father's journal called it.

There was something here she knew she was clearly missing, or they were desperately hiding.

"Well were alchemists too!" The blond jabbed a thumb toward his chest and grinned. "Maybe you've heard of us? My name is Edward Elric, The Fullmetal Alchemist, and this is my younger brother Alphonse."

_A state alchemist huh_? She noted. "I'm Ava Ellistone, cook, automail apprentice and alchemist, among other things. Nice to meet you boys." She held out her hand.

Edward twitched peeved by the 'boys' comment. But none the less held is hand out and sealed the gesture. Ava knew right away it was not flesh, his had was cold and hard, automail no doubt. She wasn't surprised, this was rush valley after all.

"So, Fullmetal Alchemist," She mused, "Alphonse," she nodded "What brings you here on this fine evening?"

The brothers exchanged a look, and then rested their eyes on Ava.

_What's this all about?_ She thought to herself.

"Ava, where did you learn your alchemy?" Alphonse asked sincerely.

She thought for a minute. "Walk with me, talk with me," she turned and resumed her short walk back home. The brothers followed like curious little puppies. "My father taught me." She finally answered.

"So was he really good or something?" Edward asked.

"Maybe, I don't really know to be honest. He probably was." She shrugged.

"How could he teach you and you not know whether or not he was a good alchemist?" His tone was a little sneering. But Ava understood his confusion so she let it go.

"Brother, maybe she doesn't want to talk about that!" Alphonse lightly scolded Ed.

"It's okay Alphonse." She waved it off.

"Uh, Al, call me Al." Ava could hear the smile in his voice. _This kid,_ _really has one heck of a soul_, she said inwardly. She still couldn't shake that feeling.

"Alright, Al," She smiled at him. "Look, everyone's got their demons, right?" She looked to each of them.

With that said Ed's demeanor changed, that bit struck some deep chord, al stiffened a little too. She made a mental note.

"Well, maybe you should get to know a girl a little better before you start asking about her kin, alright?" She said calmly.

"Right," Al sighed, "I'm sorry."

She laughed a little , "Al, you don't need to be sorry, this guy does!" She playfully hit Edward in the shoulder.

"Hey, what-" Ed started, but Ava cut him off.

"So, I get it, you guys have some questions for me." She stopped walking. "I have plenty for you too. For now, I'm so done with being awake and I hate to leave this conversation where it is but I'd be happy to continue it tomorrow." She walked toward a shop with a big sign that said 'Big Rogers Automail and Rehabilitaion'. "I live right above the shop, I'll talk to Rog about getting a morning off my apprenticeship and I'll speak to you then, whenever you manage to show up." She waved.

She stopped abruptly and looked back, "And Ed," she called

"Yeah?" His eyebrows raised.

"You can tell me why you're really here tomorrow, and which dog of the state squawked about my location."

His faced dropped, bits of shock finding its way into his eyes. "How did you…"

"Tomorrow," she said quickly. "Good night."

_I know there wasn't a crud ton of super adventure-y stuff in this chapter but I was trying to expose Ava as a character more or less. The next installment is in development and should be published soon. Feedback would be greatly appreciated, _

_Thank you!_

_~NDG_


	2. Secrets and Observations

_Okay, so I dont own FMA stuffs, just my OC's._

_Please let me know what you think, enjoy chapter two._

_Again, I'm human and I make mistakes, also it is three in the morning, hopefully there aren't too many of them._

**State Of Flux, Chapter Two:**

The sun had barely risen when Ava awoke. Her body felt rested but her mind was still buzzing. Paired with working herself ragged these past few days, meeting those two brothers, _Elric was it?_ Last night was so unusual. The gravity of the situation was now very palpable. All the who's, what's and why's rattled around in her thoughts.

Ava stared at the ceiling, the exposed beams collected dust in neat little pockets at the joints. She breathed deep as the familiar feeling came over her; the one she's gotten ever since then… It was an overwhelming sensation of uncertainty, a lack of clarity, of unfulfillment. It started with a gnawing at the corners of her mind. Like a deja vu she didn't quite grasp. It twisted a knife in her gut. Ava balled her fists and clenched her jaw. She breathed again and the feeling shortly ebbed away back to the dark depth of her inner-self.

A door opened and closed in the shop downstairs, old man Rogers was in.

She swung herself out of bed and ran a shaky hang through her gracefully wavy hair. Ava rummaged through her dresser for some clothes. She tossed on a clean grey tank and a loose, army green, off-the shoulder midriff length T-shirt. Pulled on some tight black pants and stuffed her feet into her boots. She tied her hair back and trotted down the stairs.

"Good morning Rog!" She called as she opened the door to the main floor.

"Ava," a kind weathered voice called back, "good morning! Did you get a chance to finish that hand yesterday?" He set his briefcase on the reception desk.

"No, Mr. Lan worked me like a dog. I didn't get home till way late. Anyway, I kind of have a favor to ask of you. Oh, Did I mention how young and vibrant you looked today?" She half smiled.

"Oh, dear. What do you want from me?" He laughed stroking his long grey beard.

Ava kicked at an imaginary rock. "Well… I might have to bail a little early on you today, if that's alright of course."

Roger walked toward the door to the shop. "It's not like you to have plans all of a sudden."

"Yeah, I know." She paused a moment. "I met a state alchemist last night." She said seriously, then added "and his brother."

The old man peered at her over his glasses. "What happened?" Roger was about to flick on the open sign but stopped short.

He motioned for her to sit and lowered himself into a chair. Ava sat on the patient bed near him.

"Not much, but enough for me to gather that it wasn't all coincidence we happened to meet." She kicked her dangling feet. "They saw me transmute without a circle, I had to fix something I broke." He nodded in response. "They seemed really intrigued and started asking about it. However, it seemed to me they knew more than they were leading on." She grasped the edge of the bed firmly. "Also, there was something about them, their auras. It was so different and intense."

"Are you planning on meeting with these boys then?" some concern flickered across his face.

"Yes I think it might be… beneficial too me to get to the bottom of whatever it is that's going on here. This whole thing's got me a little on edge." She sighed.

"You don't think they knew about _you_ before this thing even happened do you?" he worried.

"Yes, yes I do." Ava looked to the floor. "In fact, I'm sure of it."

Roger grumbled a little. "Well, you just be careful, I know you can handle yourself, _but_ I wouldn't trust any dog of the state." He stood. "If you must cut the day short that's okay." He smiled, but neither of them believed in it. "I hope you can clear all this up before it gets out of hand."

"Yes sir, and thank you." She hopped off the bed. "I've arranged for them to meet me here, so don't worry too much, I'll be under your watchful eye." She placed a hand on his shoulder in passing and clicked on the open sign, it buzzed.

Later that morning Ava sat at a table tinkering with an automail hand. Flexing and unflexing it, checking the movements of the artificial ligaments when the door opened. The little bell hanging off of it clattered. She looked up quickly.

"Hi Ava! Good to see you!" A familiar man called, a crutch tucked underneath on shoulder.

Ava sighed, maybe they wouldn't show up after all- it was just Benny a customer.

"Hey benny how's the leg?" She asked eyeing the crutch.

"Naturally, I took a pretty nasty fall yesterday and now my knee is bending a little funny." He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Jeez!" Ava smiled "take it easy! At least the rest of you is alright." She stood and set the incomplete hand on the desk. "I'll go get Roger, he's in the back."

"Thank you Miss Ava" Benny smiled.

Ava walked to the back and opened the door to the store room.

"Hey Roger, Benny-" She started, but the old man jumped in surprise at the sudden intrusion and dropped the box of bolts he was sorting through.

"Oh! Sorry Ava, you scared me there." He looked at the floor.

"Sorry." She laughed. "Don't worry I'll clean it up, Benny is upfront, his knee is busted."

"Thank you, I'll go see to him." Roger walked through to the front and closed the store room door behind him.

Ava bent down and started gathering all the bits that had scattered everywhere, quickly throwing them into the little wooden box. Her mind wandered. When the bolts where all picked up she started organizing a few other things. Her thoughts moving to notes she read in her father's journals. She started recalling segments about xingese alchehestry, ancient circles on stones in xerxes and the conflicts in Ishval; a certain alchemical amplifying stone.

"Ava!" She heard Roger call, snapping her violently out of her meandering thoughts, making _her_ jump. Lucky this time there was no mess to clean. "Ava!" he called again.

"I'm coming!" She hollered back, opening the heavy door to the front. "Sorry, I got carried away-." Then she saw them, Edward and Alphones Elric.

Her heart sunk to her stomach.

_And here I thought they wouldn't show up. _Ava was mentally kicking herself. _I should have prepared, or something._

"Hi Ava!" Alphonse broke the short but heavy silence. "Uh, brother and I, we spoke to you last night-"

"Yes, I remember you guys." She sighed. "My memory isn't as bad as old man Roger's here _yet_." She flashed the seasoned automail mechanic a reassuring smile.

"Well, are we going to get down to business or what?" Edward said impatiently, hands shoved into his coat pockets.

"Yes, let's head upstairs," she strode to the door that led up to the second floor, her home. "We'll have a little more privacy." With another _don't worry_ look to Roger she led them up.

Her home was little more than a partially finished glorified attic space. There was a bathroom, albeit small, in the back right. A little kitchenette with a stove, sink and tiny fridge, with just enough room in the corner left for a little two person table occupying the back left. Her bed was in the middle of the room against the right wall, with a dresser adjacent. There was a small couch and a few crammed book cases against the wall to the right of the door.

"It's not much, but its home." The brothers strode in. Al smacked his helmet on the door frame; a droning sound resonated through him. It felt weird to have visitors in her space. "You can have a seat there if you want." She motioned to the loveseat.

"Oh, thanks." Edward said plopping down.

Al took one look and laughed lightly, "Ill just stand, but thanks anyway." He would never fit alongside his brother without squashing the life out of him.

Ava shrugged and sat on the edge of her bed facing them. "I'm not going to beat around the bush. I'll answer every question with the utmost earnesty I can for you but you have to do the same for me." She looked them both in the eye. "Deal?"

Edward thought for a moment, Al looked to him for the answer. Ed's eyes lifted to hers shortly and he narrowed them, "Deal."

"Why are you in Rush Valley?" Ava asked immediately.

"We were on our way to Dublith and a friend of ours wanted to make a stop here." Ed said easily. It did answer her question, per say, but not in the way she wanted.

"Alright, you shoot." She waved Ed on.

"Where'd you learn to use alchemy without a circle?" He all but jumped with eagerness at this question.

"A very wise man taught me in a far away place." She crossed her arms.

Alphonse sighed, "These two are never going to get anywhere…" he said quietly to himself. Ava heard this though and looked over at him, his bulky hand rubbed the back of his head. _No, his helmet._ She remembered the noise it made when he hit it earlier, a bulb clicked on just then. Like an empty can. _He's hollow inside!_ She thought so loud to herself she had to make extra sure not to blurt it out. _What the hell…_

"Hey," Ed waved a hand in front of her eyes. "Your turn!" she must have dazed off a minute there.

She blinked and glared at him briefly, "Well, my next one is for Al." She said coyly.

"Me? What could I possibl-" Ava yanked off her boot and threw it hard at his helmet, it flew off and clanged on the floor. There was nothing inside that suit of armor. "..what!"

"Where's your body Al!" She stood eyes throwing daggers at the two boys. "Just what have you two done?" She was all at once afraid, confused and the saddest she's ever been in her life. She knew deep down they must have performed human transmutation, but why? How? What could have been worth a body, and Ed's arm, it must have been from then too.

"Now that's not fair." Ed said in an all too calm voice. His eyes darkened as he stood, walked across the room and handed his brother his helmet. "That's two questions."

She looked at him, where he stood next to his brother. A few questions she had fell into place; this is why they were so interested in her transmutation. They had seen _it_ too. "I'm so sorry." She looked down and her feet, one boot missing. "That was wrong of me. I said it myself, that everybody has their demons…"

"Ava!" Al scrambled for words, "It's okay really, I'm really surprised you figured me out so fast, err, my state." He waved his hands in front of him.

Ed walked back over to the couch and sat down. "We were on our way to Dublith to see our old teacher." Ed started. Ava looked up a little shocked that he was talking to her again so soon after revealing a huge secret of theirs. "We need to train to become stronger." He balled his right fist.

Ava said nothing but listened intently and sat back on the edge of her bed.

"You see, we've been running into a lot of… resistance... lately while on our primary quest and haven't been fairing very well with all the battles." He shifted a little, not really sure if he should be spewing all this to a stranger. "I joined the military when I was twelve, a year after we suffered the effects of a failed transmutation, trying to bring back our mother." His voice faltered some.

Ava put a hand on her forehead, _these poor boys_…

"I never joined to be a weapon, I never wanted the military lifestyle, we're searching for a way to get our bodies back. We had leads, leads that led us right to what we thought we wanted. The philosophers stone."

She perked, remembering the passage from the father's journal. They used those stones in the Ishvalen war.

"But it turns out that creating one is one of the downright most inhumane and cruel things one could ever do. But we're still determined to find a way, another way."

She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out, what could she say?

"We work hard every day to try and find a way to make things better. We just want to be normal again. We've spoken to everyone we think could help, read every book." Alphonse added. "Brother got a call from one of his commanding officers, they said there was someone in Rush Valley we should speak too if we were going to be staying a little longer than expected, and they told us about you. We couldn't believe we found you so quickly."

Ava stood and looked at both of them intently, weighing everything that was just said. Slowly she walked over to her book shelf. "My father was a scholar. He made many trips to Xing to learn their Alkehestry, he studied ancient ruins in xerxes and was a mediator between the state and the Ishvalen people before the war. He had learned and recorded many unique things about alchemy before he died." She opened a book and thumbed the pages. Edward had stood and peered at it from behind her. Alphonse inched in closer too.

She stopped on a page and read a line. "There is a Truth within the Chosen People, a Knowledge above all Balance. Close one door and two will open." She turned and faced the Elric brothers, took a little ribbon from the shelf marked the page and closed the book.

"Edward, Alphonse, there's a lot we can learn from each other." Ava said warmly. All their eyes met. There was nothing said but all that needed to be voiced was done so silently.

They all knew, things were about to change.

_So chappy two is done and done-o._

_There is much more to be reviled about Ava, I'm trying to develop her carefully so bare with me. I want to keep the original fabric of the story as intact as possible.  
_

_Please give feedback, its super appreciated :) _

_Peace and thank you!_

_~NDG_


	3. Coming up With Reasons

**dont own any FMA junks just my oc's**

_Chapter three is done! _

_I'm sure there are a few mistakes, I wrote this in all of two hours, you can kill me later._

_Feedback is a super cool thing... Enjoy!_

**State of Flux:**

_**chapter 3**_

The three sat in the room for a while, contemplating the notes of Ava's father.

Al flipped through an old research journal, "Some of these are really incredible." He eyed some sketches of unfamiliar transmutation circles.

"Ava, thank you." Ed said suddenly. "There might really be something here that could help us." He closed the book in his hands and smiled at her. "I know we got off on a rocky note, but thank you."

"Yeah, well I've looked them over a few times and learned some really valuable things." She shrugged, "I hope you can profit from some of it too." She shifted uneasily.

"If you've read all of these you might even know things about alchemy that even brother doesn't!" Al commended.

"Hey! What was that Alphonse?" Ed yelled.

Ava laughed quietly as the two momentarily bickered. "Hey, Ed don't feel bad. It's not like you've been intellectually bested by a totally normal girl." She stuck out her tongue.

"Not you too," Ed shook a fist "you haven't bested me yet!"

"We'll see." she waved it off. "Anyway, so where are you guys staying?"

"An automail engineer by the name of Dominic, has been kind enough to let us stay with him until we can catch the next train to Dublith. You see, we missed the one two days ago. The next one leaves early tomorrow morning." Said Al.

"Bummer, you're leaving so soon?" Ava playfully slapped her knee. "And I was just starting to like you guys! Wait, Dominic, that old grouch? How did you swing that arrangement?"

"Well, some girl stole my pocket watch; it's what proves that I'm a state alchemist" Ed stated. "We tracked her down all the way to Dominic's house and turns out she's got these crazy cool automail legs that Winry went all gooey over."

"Oh, I know Paninya, sweet girl with a nasty hobby, I knew someone would catch her one of these days. But who's Winry?" Ava raised a brow.

"She's a childhood friend and brothers mechanic." Alphonse answered.

"Yeah and the reason we're stuck here in the first place." Ed crossed his arms.

"While we were at Dominic's house, his sons wife went into labor. Winry and Paninya had to deliver the baby without a doctor because the weather was so awful he couldn't get to her in time. So out of thanks Dominic is letting us stay with him for a little while." Alphonse said.

"That's incredible! Delivering a baby?" Ava shook her head a little. "She must have a steel gut."

"Yeah, she does." Ed paused, "So, is this your home?" He asked looking around at the unincreadible space.

"My little slice of paradise." She shrugged. "I just wandered into rush valley, and old man Roger was the first person I met, he was so nice to me. He let me stay here in exchange for helping him with his business." Ava picked up another journal and pretented to look very interested. Talking about herself and past always made her feel uncomfortable. Not to mention it brings back that weird feeling. That confused and hollow feeling.

The brothers exchanged a look and went back to the books in their hands as well. Soaking of the information like a couple of sponges, volumes were everywhere. Some were open to key pages and strewn around in a wide arc.

Ava didn't know how many hours had gone by three? Four? But it didn't matter too much. This whole situation baffled her beyond belief. To happen across these two on their gallant quest. To have a member of the military in her room, a state alchemist at that, show so much interest In all those old notes. There was the extremely puzzling fact that someone knew she was here, somehow, and very specifically informed the Elric brothers about her.

"Hey Ed?" Ava spoke up after some time.

"What's up?" He responded not even looking up from the book.

"Who was it that knew about me?"

"Oh, that it was Lieutenant Colonel Hughes." He said matter of factly.

_I've got some questions for that guy when I see him_ Ava thought.

"Brother I don't think we will finish all of these before we leave tomorrow." Al said a little sad. "Not even if we stay up all night."

"There's a ton of information here. We have to learn what we can." Ed said still consumed in study.

"It took me years to decode half of it. I'm sure you've noticed it's all pretty well encrypted."

"You aren't kidding!" the brothers said in unison.

"I remember almost all of it, at least what I could decipher I've only read all of these a hundered times over. From some of those books over there I learned a bit of Xingese alchahestry. Actually, a lot of it." Ava smiled.

"Xingese Alkahestry?" Al seemed puzzeled.

"It's a form of alchemy used In Xing, they just have a funny name for it." Ed explained to his brother.

Al looked around at the mess of books, journals, collections of notes, sketches. "Brother," Al said standing abruptly, "Can I speak with you outside?"

Ava and Ed blinked. "Um, sure all, I guess so." Ed said clearly confused.

"Is everything alright Al? I hope I haven't done anything to offend you." Ava said apologetically.

"No not at all!" Alphonse waived his hands in front of him. "Please don't worry."

Ed followed his brother out the door and the room became quiet. Ava stretched her legs out in front of her, she had been sitting cross legged for a while now and her feet where starting to go numb. Her heart beat a little fast, maybe just from confusion; she could hear the boys arguing softly outside her door, then a little yelling. But she couldn't make out a single word. She felt a little awkward sitting there staring at the wall.

She perked when the door opened quickly and Ed peeked in. Before she could get a word out he asked, "Ava, how are you with self-defense, can you fight?" the question was so random it sent her reeling.

"What? Yes? I've been taught a few styles of martial-" and the door closed on her again. She glared at where his face was just moments before. "Just what the hell…"

A few moments after the weird and downright crazy episode, the door opened again and both boys walked through. Ava started to question them but was cut short, not able to get a word in edge wise.

Ed and Al stood before her straight as boards and as serious as heart attacks. "Ava, brother and I were wondering if you would like to come with us." Al said finnaly.

She cocked her head to the side, flat out confused. "Go with you where?" she held her hands palms up, baffled.

_To Dominic's? To Dublith? To central? What if Al saw something terrible in the notes? Maybe there were sent her to take me in! Gahhh…_

They exchanged another loaded look. "We would like you to accompany us on our journey." The two said in unison.

"On your…journey…?" She pondered on that for a while.

"Yes!" Ed piped "You have to teach me everything you know from these notes and whatever you know about alkahestry!" he pointed violently, a faint hint of embarrassment flashing on his cheeks.

"Whaaaaaaat?" She was dizzy. "Uh.."

"You should know that we face many dangers. We have our fair share of enemies, but also powerful allies. It will not be easy and sometimes things get really ugly. But we promise to do what we can to keep you out of harm." Al chimed in after.

Ava contemplated everything that was being said to her. She weighed the situation in her head. Go with them, to help them… what would she get out of all this? Maybe, just maybe, with their quest to get their bodies back, they may stumble across a way to retrieve some of those memories of before she was five… of her family, her life before th..

"Yes." She said bluntly.

"That's okay, it was stupid to as- wait what? Yes?" Ed babbled.

"Oh that's great!" Al pumped a fist into the air… and right through the ceiling. "I'm so sorry! I can fix that!"

Ava laughed. And she laughed hard. She rolled right off her bed onto the floor clutching her sides the impact knocked the wind out of her and she struggled to breath.

"Hey are you alright!" Ed ran over flailing. Not knowing what to do to get her to breathe again.

Ava waived a hand in front of her shooing him off. She sat herself up coughing as air rushed back into her lungs. She wiped a tear from her eye.

"C'mon it wasn't that funny!" Ed scolded her.

"Whew! I know, but you guys had me bugging! All hush-hush arguing out on the stairs. I thought maybe I had done something wrong, was going to jail even! But no! To be an accomplice to you guys, that's all? Then Al punched the ceiling! Ha!"

"Jail?!" the brothers said confused.

Al brushed it off, "But you're really sure you want to come with us?"

"Yes, I'm looking for some answers too. I sure as hell am not going to find them in this town. I think I've exhausted Rush Valley of all its knowledge. I've been coming up with excuses to leave this place for months now. I've just had no real drive and I couldn't just up and leave Roger for no reason." So many emotions ran through her head as she said those words.

"Well then it's settled." Ed clapped his hands together in finality. "The train leaves at six in the morning tomorrow. You can meet us at the station." He smiled. Happier probably that he gets his own private alkahestry teacher than a travel mate. But Ava accepted the smile anyway.

"Alright… well, I have a ton to do all of a sudden." She looked around her home, it gave a very surreal feeling to her now.

"Brother we should go and let her take care of things. This is extremely last minute after all." Al turned to leave. Ed nodded and followed. He opened the door and they stepped out. "I'll see you in the morning Ava!" Al called just before the door shut and she was left standing alone in her home.

Later that evening Ava felt extremely humbled. This was the last night, for perhaps a very long time, that she would spend in what had become her home over the past few years.

Her bag was packed and it sat neatly by the door. She constantly avoided looking at it, as to not remind her of the finality of the decision she had made earlier. It took a long time for her to think of this place as her home. She never really had one after all. She would miss waking up in _her_ bed, making tea in _her_ kitchen and reading on _her_ couch. But most of all she would miss Roger. The old man was the closest thing to family she had.

Breaking the news to Roger was hard, both parties cried a little, laughed a little and cried some more. But as always he supported her decision and understood it completely, as he was the only person Ava had told her full history to.

As for telling Mr. Lan the wicked restaurant owner she worked for on the days she wasn't apprenticing, It didn't even cross her mind.

But her resolve was that leaving would be the best for her. She may find answers to her past, decipher more about her father's research and become a better alchemist.

…Maybe even help those boys get their bodies back.

_And there you have it folks! Cool stuff happens next chappy its cray cray ya'll. _

_lemme know whatcha think!_

_Peace!_

_~**NDG**_


	4. Hell Fire and Glory

_**Don't own anything fma just my oc's**_

_This is a bit long and I still wasn't able to pack in everything I wanted, so it will be carried on into the next chapter.__I would love as much feedback as you could give  
hope you enjoy!_

_**State of Flux**_

_**Chapter four:**_

The shadows held on tight, wrapping writhing arms around her limbs, holding her against all her struggles. Words whispered in her ear. Eerie and disturbing things, she screamed back at them in protest, yet, harsh and sharp they cut through her mental defenses, carved into her being. When the shadows and the voices disappeared they left little crimson cuts all along her body and she bled out life. She looked up into the endless white void gasping for breath her shaking hands reaching out for refuge, some salvation, anything. Her soul, her past, her essence fled out through the lacerations and as it all trickled out light entered her through those same cuts. It filled all that emptiness, now she felt like someone new, the light was _her_, reborn, reconstructed, purified and amplified. She could breathe easily now, see clearly, her hands lifted and she touched her face, everything was so lucid. She had never been so content in herself, in the world and in her knowledge of it.

Ava woke abruptly from the dream, the book she had been holding fell to the floor with a soft thud. She rubbed her eyes and checked the time; she had only slept for two hours. It could have been an eternity for all that she was feeling. The clock was nearing five-thirty in the morning. She had stayed up late reading and going over and over notes. Her intuition was screaming at her, warning, supporting, and again cautioning. There is a point in a person's life when destiny plucks you from your content place in existence and flings you forward to where you're supposed to be. It sets you on that path you're supposed to blaze. All set alight, hell fire and burning glory. This was it. She knew it, her soul knew it. She was ready.

She couldn't wait another minute around this place. She grabbed all that she needed, donned all her gear. She looked formidable. She tugged on black fingerless gloves that had steel plates over the back of her hands. Heavy steel bars crisscrossed at her lower back, formed to liken billy clubs. She flipped the hood up on her grey leather jacket, and zipped it over her tank and off-shoulder cropped t-shirt. She strapped a small dagger to the inside of her right ankle under her black pants and pulled on her black leather boots. Ava grabbed her bag, turned off all the lights in her small home, and left. Doing all she could not to look back.

Walking out into the pre-dawn morning was refreshing. The morning air was sweet smelling and clear. She felt confident and ready for anything. She looked at the shops she passed, some keepers already shifting around inside. Lights glowed amber through some windows, but most was quiet and dark. It cast a setting for a perfect peaceful goodbye, an easy one. But not just to the town, the town would always be here. To the old things, what would be old things, now.

She neared the train station and looked out for any sign of the Fullmetal Alchemist or Alphonse. But the platform was empty; she could hear the train barreling down the tracks not too far off.

"One ticket for the Six-O'clock to Dublith, please." She asked the man at the ticket window sliding money through a crescent shape hole cut in the bottom of the glass.

"You got it miss." The plain looking man smiled and handed the ticket to her. "Safe travels!"

She thanked him and took a seat on a bench. There was still no sign of the brothers. The train was nearing the station. The ground shook and the rails screamed from the deceleration of the great beast of a machine. The clock on the side of the building read six o'clock.

Ava was about to board when she heard the steps running up from behind her. "Ava!" She heard Al call "where here, sorry, hope you weren't waiting very long."

She turned to greet him "Good morning!" Ed and Al jogged to her, followed by the Paninya girl and another blond haired femme. "Hi everyone!" she smiled lightly.

"Hey! You showed up, that's great!" Ed said happily and stood by her. "Winry this is Ava." He motioned.

"Wow! It's so great to meet you, these guys haven't stopped going on about all the things they've read and learned from you." Winry, the blond, smiled wide.

"Well it's not all mine, really it's my father's research and field journals. But thank you, and it's nice to meet you as well." She two shook hands. "And good to see you again, Paninya"

"Yeah, you too, that's crazy you're leaving with them. The food at old man Lan's restaurant isn't going to be worth eating now." Paninya joked.

"C'mon Ava we gotta' go, train's leaving!" Ed called from a set of boarding stairs then called out his goodbyes to his friends.

"Make sure those two don't get into too much trouble for me okay?" Winry said thoughtfully.

"I'll do my best." Ava nodded and headed toward the train. "I hope next time we meet there is more time to talk!"

"Bye!" The two girls called after Ava and she waived blindly, hopping on the train just before it started pulling out of station.

Ava looked around, it had been a while since she had been on the train. It was pretty plain, rows of benches, there weren't too many passengers. She saw Al immediately and walked over to the brothers and took a seat next to Ed, scooting in by the window. "So guys, what's this teacher of yours like? Think she could give me a few pointers?" She shrugged her pack onto the floor.

"A few pointers? She could probably teach you loads more than that." Al said with conviction. "She's incredible."

"That's awesome, I can't wait to meet her." She looked to Ed who had paled and looked frightened.

"Yeah, well I can, she's going to kill Al and I, she doesn't know about our bodies yet." He frowned and Al trembled.

"She sure is scary." Al squeaked.

"Up on a pedestal one minute and now you guys are shaking in fear at just the thought of her? What kind of a teacher is this?" Ava asked confused.

"Oh, you'll find out." Ed said ominously. Ava didn't know just what to think about that.

"Well I'm going to try to get a little shut eye on the way there, wake me when were close." She pulled her knees to her chest and leaned her head against the window. Closed her eyes and waited for sleep.

"Brother, she sure looks like she's prepared for anything." Al said softly after she had drifted off.

"Yeah, well she should be, with the things that follow us around." Ed responded dryly. "I hope, this whole thing doesn't turn out to be a disaster."

"What do you mean?" Al asked.

"We barely know anything about her, well besides that she seems to have performed human transmutation like we have, but there's nothing obvious that she would have given in exchange." He thought for a moment. "Her father's research notes are incredible and it seems she's well versed in alchemic knowledge, hell, she knows a whole other form of it I don't have a clue about."

"So why is that a bad thing?"

"Well, it all seems too set up for one, like too much of a coincidence." Ed glanced sidelong at the sleeping girl.

"What, you think she's some sort of spy or something?" Al was surprised. "I really do think we can trust her, I don't think it's like that at all."

"No, not like a spy," Ed chuffed, "Something else, I'm not sure really." He crossed his arms, "Forget I said anything." Al nodded in response.

Ava woke when the train started decelerating into the station. Her eyes flashed open almost in a panic. For a moment she had forgotten she had even left Rush Valley at all.

"Good you're up, we were just about to wake you." Al said, voice smiling.

She yawned, "We 'eere?" she managed, stretching her arms and legs out in front of her.

"You bet," Ed said standing as the train came to a slow stop. "now let's go!" He grabbed his suitcase and started to rush off the train, Al stood quickly after and followed.

Ava fumbled for her bag and tried to keep up, legs a little wobbly from sitting for so long. "Whoa there short stuff hold up!" she yelled after them.

Suddenly Ed turned to her, "Who are ya' callin' a bean sprout midget!?" He yelled crazily, Al held his coat as he writhed in the air.

She laughed, "I didn't say any of that!" _note to self: apparently the little dude is super sensitive about being called short._

"Yeah, that's what I thought!" He grumbled.

"Right," She smiled nervously. "lead on.."

The three walked a little ways Ava's eyes darted around taking in the sights. The city wasn't really anything special, but it was quaint and clean and she liked the normality of it. Everybody she saw seemed pretty content. She looked forward again just in time to stop herself from colliding with Al.

The boys stood side by side looking in toward a small red and white shop, the sign above read 'MEAT' "We finnaly made it Al." Ed said it what seemed to be a mixture of disbelief and defeat, "Be nice if teacher wasn't home."

"Yeah," Al agreed in the same morose tone.

Ava looked to both of them "You guys still sure about this? You're starting to _really_ get me worried about meeting this 'teacher'." She said looking at the shop nervously just as heavy booming footsteps stomped their way to the door from inside. They all stiffened. A huge burly man stepped through the opened door with a bloodied knife in one hand. The tree jumped back all turning a little blue in the face. Ava reached for one of the bars strapped to her back.

"Hello Sig." Ed piped

"Long time no see." Al peeped fiddling with his fingers.

Ava moved her hand back to her side. _So they _know_ this guy._ She mustered a small smile in greeting.

"You two have grown up a little, huh?." Sig patted Ed's head with one giant paw of a hand.

"You're squishing me…" Ed gasped

"You probably don't recognize me, but It's Alphonse" Al pointed toward himself and bowed a little. "Sorry we've been away so long."

"Looks like you've grown up more than a little" Sig rubbed Al's helmet. "And who's this?" He raised a brow toward the unfamiliar girl standing back a little.

"This is Ava," Ed pushed her forward forcefully; she teetered trying to keep her balance. "We ran into her in Rush Valley, she's going to be teaching me a few things about alkahestry!" He smiled.

"Hi, Mr. Sig, Sir…" She held out her hand awkwardly but he just plopped a mit on her head and ruffled her hair too. "..ooff!" she was surprised.

"Nice to meet you Ava." He smiled subtly.

"You too…" she patted her hair down quickly as he walked toward the other side of the shop. They followed.

"Izumi," he called into an opened window by a door. "The Elric shrimps and a friend have come for a visit, so you think you can see them?"

"I'll be right there, I'm feeling better today." A small voice answered from inside.

"Lying down? That's not a good sign." Al said to his brother.

"I guess she hasn't gotten any better since last time-" Ed was cut off when the door opened violently smacking into Al who stood behind it. A tall women with long, dark, dreaded hair wearing a white coat stood ominously for a moment before planting a swift kick right in the middle of Ed's gaping face. He was sent flying

_This must be the teacher they were talking about…_ Ava took a few uneasy steps off to the side.

Izumi stepped out of the door way a fear invoking look shadowed her face, eyes glowing. "Hello my stupid pupil, I hear you've become one of the military's dogs!" She yelled at Ed, still not recovered from the blow. The door squeaked and swung behind her revealing the tall armored figure. She turned slowly with a death glare still worn firmly.

"Uh teacher," Al stammered, "You see, it's because I'm-"

"Al?" Izumi asked, a light hearted expression and a smile blooming on her face. "You've gotten so big!"

Ava looked toward Ed who had started to stir. "Should I Hide?" She mouthed silently to him. He was about to respond when Al was thrown smack dab into her. "Holy-!" She crumpled underneath him splaying out unnaturally.

"Your skills are rusty." Izumi crossed her arms then noticed Ava crawling out from underneath Al. "Oh, who's this?" She put her hands on her hips eyeing the girl.

"I'm so sorry Ava!" Al sputtered and stood quickly helping her to her feet.

Ava brushed herself off, "Hi," she heaved, Al had knocked her wind out of her. "I'm Ava…Ellistone.." She held out a hand, "Nice to meet you" she thought for a moment and put her hand back down. "Introductions are enough right?" She wasn't about to make that mistake. By this time Ed had joined them

"You're cute!" She beamed kindly and punched Ava in the shoulder, what seemed to have been playfully, but non-the-less powerful. Ava rubbed at it. "A friend of the boys?"

"Yeah, you could say that." She grinned, gritting her teeth still working out the pain.

"You've got lots of energy for somebody who's not feeling well." Al said to his teacher.

"Not feeling well!?" She screamed frenzied, "What are you talking about I'm perfectly-" Then she vomited blood. A lot of it.

Ed and Al flailed "Are you okay!?" Ava asked just as shocked, she wasn't expecting that.

Sig laid a comforting hand on Izumi's shoulder. "You shouldn't over exert yourself." He wiped the corners of her mouth clean of blood.

"How sweet of you to worry dear," She swooned and embraced him. "Thank you!"

The brothers and Ava stood baffled. Ed twitched a little.

"Why don't we go in for some tea?" Izumi asked shortly after.

"Yes, tea sounds normal-Nice! Tea sounds nice." Ava caught herself, Izumi just smiled.

They followed her inside.

Ava sipped her tea contently. Ed asked Izumi about the philosophers stone.

"The philosophers stone huh? I don't know much about it. It holds no interest for me." She said with her arms crossed.

"I see, okay." Ed accepted her response.

"There was that one alchemist, I thought that one we met in central knew a good amount about the stone." Sig recalled.

Al and Ed exchanged a look Ava put down her tea and listened intently. "Who was this guy?" Ed was excited and sat forward eagerly.

"Let me think," Izumi put a hand on her chin, "What was his name? Ah, Hohenheim."

Whatever anticipation Ed and Al had mustered vanished. Ed balled his fists and looked toward the floor.

"Do you know that guy?" Ava asked concerned.

"So he's alive?" Ed said distantly. Ava looked between the boys for the answer.

"He's our father." Al answered.

"The one that ran out on you when you were little?" Izumi sat a little straighter.

"Yeah, that's the one." Ed said through gritted teeth. "It's all because of that bastard that our mothers dead. If it wasn't for him…" He trailed off.

_What kind of man abandons his children? Well… I guess my father really wasn't much better. _ Ava sipped her tea again.

"Um," Al chimed. "Did our dad say anything about the philosopher's stone?"

"He said something about a life-long dream coming true, he seemed very happy when he said it" Their teacher replied before standing abruptly and smacking Ed across the top of his head. Ava and al cringed a little. "Now were going to eat!" she yelled walking into the kitchen.

"Okay!" Ed said roughly.

They all sat around a round table, heaps of food laid all over it. "Wow this looks great!" Ava sad filling her plate.

"Eat as much as you like." Sig said through a bite. "You going to eat Al?"

"I'm not hungry I had a big meal on the train ride here." Al held up his hands.

Ava thought about that for a second. Al couldn't even eat, really there are a lot of things he can't do. She hadn't even thought about that before. How awful and lonely that must be. All of a sudden, she wasn't really hungry.

"You should tell her about Rush Valley! About the baby being born and how we met Ava!" Ed said quickly changing the subject.

"Oh yeah, we helped deliver a baby! There was this big storm and we couldn't get the mother to a doctor." Said Al, cheerfully.

"It's pretty generous to call what we did helping." Ed rubbed the back of his head laughing.

"Yeah it was mostly Winry and the whole family pitched in too. The mother was so brave. Everyone is blessed when a baby is born." Al finished. Ava smiled at this, wondering if her mother thought that way when she had her.

"Yes that's right, that same miracle brings us all into this world." Izumi smiled, "Always take pride in the lives that where given to you." The brothers smiled to each other, well, Ava could only assume Al was.

"And how'd you meet this young lady?" Their teacher looked to Ava.

"We had missed our train and I got a call from one of my officers in central, said there was an alchemist we absolutely had to see if we were stuck in town. Ava's father studied all sorts of things about alchemy and she has a crazy amount of records, journals and books that her father wrote." Ed explained.

"They happened to spot me one night getting off work from the restaurant and Ed wouldn't leave me alone until I taught him everything I knew."

Izumi laughed, "So you're an alchemist too?" she asked, Ava nodded and smiled.

"So we asked her to join us, on our hunt for a philosopher's stone." Al said looking toward Ava. "She knows about alkahestry from Xing and she's going to teach brother how to use it."

"That's right," Ava smiled.

They sat around the table for a little while longer talking about this and that, Ava accidentally called Ed short again and he blew up. They soon retired to the Curtis's spare bedroom. There were only two beds, Al graciously took the floor.

"Hey Ed," Al said softly to his brother who looked to him in response, "teacher hasn't changed has she?"

"Nope she hasn't changed one bit in all this time." Ed said looking out the window.

"She's pretty cool," Ava said rolling over to face the wall. "I wish I knew someone like that when I was young."

"Yeah, we were just in the right place at the right time to have met her." Al said.

The room was quiet and Ava closed her eyes but sleep never came. She drifted from thought to thought but no rest. She mentally kicked herself; she probably shouldn't have slept on the train. She was restless she rolled to her back and stared at the ceiling. Soon though, despite the nice day, that feeling started creeping back into her.

Starting from the shadows of her mind, crawling around her head suffocating all higher thought, like some poison from her subconscious. It made her stomach turn with anxiety. It ran around her insides making her feel like she wasn't real. Her body felt heavy, like a burden. She trembled and sat up she could hear her heartbeat in her ears.

"Ava? You're awake?" Al asked hushed. Ed was sleeping by now.

"Al, I can't sleep. I think I need to go for a walk, clear my head." She stood quietly stepping into her boots and pulling on her jacket.

"Is everything alright?" Al asked concerned, "You're shaking."

"Yeah…" She looked to her hands which trembled, the feeling of hot adrenaline filled blood shook through her. "I'll be okay." She looked back to him. "Do you want to come with?"

"Yes, of course." He stood and they headed for the door. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Maybe, but you can't go shouting what I say to the world, alright?" She looked to Al who nodded in understanding.

They walked out into the night.

_Alright hope this one didn't drone on too bad_

_I was hoping to get to Ava's past in this one, but nope! Next chapter will be filled with allathat._

_Thank you peeps! _

_Peace!_

**_~NDG_**


	5. Organized Chaos

_**dont own fma characters, just my oc's.**_

**State of Flux**

**Chapter 5:**

"Most people are distracted with the mundane. They break from the slightest pressure and burst if overburdened. In response they turn cold and their hearts get hard so those things don't affect them. They don't even realize how good they have it, not unless they lose everything." Ava watched flies buzz around a street lamp from her spot on a bench. "So if you can still breathe, bleed or love you're one of the lucky ones. Hell, if you're still alive consider your-damn-self blessed." Al stood next to her, he looked at his hands.

"Maybe I'm reckless, a wild youth, but I'm bound and determined to stay alive and find out just what happened before my father destroyed my life. Most of us are bitter toward someone," She looked at Al. "You know this. Unfortunately, the person I hate the most is gone. I'll never get my answers from him."

"Ava," Al breathed sharply. "What do you mean, '_destroyed your life'_?"

"He used me," She looked to her lap, hands gripping her knees. "as a sacrifice to bring my mother back." Al gasped.

"But your body, it's whole isn't it?" Al kneeled down next to her and stared at the ground.

"Yes," she narrowed her eyes. "But, my mind, it's fractured."

"What do you mean?"

"Equivalent exchange, I guess." She hugged a knee to her chest, "I lost all my memories of my family. I've never felt whole, I get this feeling from time to time and it shakes me to the core." She breathed deep. "Like I'm missing something and it's right there in front of my eyes, but also like I'm broken, shattered and incomplete. Really, though I'd say it's a small price to pay considering." She choked a little.

"I couldn't imagine not knowing my mother. She meant the world to Ed and I. She taught us so much, about life, happiness, kindness, forgiveness; she loved us both so much." Al said shakily.

"That's why, in a way, I'm glad those memories are gone. I've got nothing to miss. If I never knew what it was like, how could I miss it? It was a merciful payment that was selected."

"Ava," Al asked, "how old where you, when did this happen?"

"They found me wandering the streets when I was five," Ava began, "A nice woman took me in after the authorities discovered what had happened, her name was Eleanor, she was middle aged but very I'll. She took care of me for 5 years before she died."

Ava squeezed her eyes shut remembering her green eyes and shining blond hair. "Really though, that was my only experience with true loss. I didn't know what I lost before. When she passed she left me the address to my old home along with a note, it said all my questions would be answered there."

"Where they?"

"Well, some yes, but I had to break in to the town records to get the whole story." She tensed, "It did make sense of the one fleeting memory I had, and it was of the _gate_ and a being called _truth._"

"So you _have_ seen it?" A voice from behind them asked quietly.

Al jumped to his feet, Ava turned around so fast she nearly fell off of the bench. "Brother!" Al said surprised.

"He used you as a sacrifice?" Ed said walking closer.

_So he's been here that long, damn. _"Yeah, so the records say. I've always wondered why, what drove him to become someone so mad." She felt a little embarrassed, caught off guard like that.

"When you lose someone it changes you. It might make you do stupid things, but using your own child is unforgivable." Ed said gritting his teeth.

"Nina…" Al says softly to himself.

"Nina? Who's that?" Ava asked as quizzically.

"Nina was a little girl we knew in central…" Ed began, taking a seat next to her on the bench. "Her father used her to do something awful too."

Ed told her of a man named Shou Tucker, the Sewing-Life Alchemist, and how he used his own daughter to create a talking chimera in order to ensure his state license. Ed also told her about the man named Scar, who killed the chimera and her father shortly after she was changed. Scar was a surviving Ishvalen who had an ugly agenda, a determination to kill every state alchemist; including Ed.

235"Is this Scar fellow someone who is still at large?" Ava asked a little uneasy. She received nods in response. "Anybody else I should be looking out for?"

Ed sat back, trying to relax a little. "Well there is something big going on in the military, a possible corruption in the higher ranks, we know that they can bond souls to armor, like Al here, and they are capable of making a philosopher's stone, even if it may be an imperfect specimen."

"Brother and I discovered a facility that was using prisoners on death row as exchange to create such things, the 5th laboratory, a state controlled building."

"Man," She rubbed the back of her head, "you weren't kidding when you said tagging along would be dangerous."

"Yup, those kinds of things seem to follow us around." Ed smiled back nervously.

"Oh, by the way, Mr. Stalker, why'd you follow Al and I out here anyway?" Ava elbowed him in the side.

"Hey I wasn't stalking you, I just realized something important!" He snapped.

"Gah!" she moved away, "What?"

"Al," Ed looked over to his brother beside Ava. "Teacher can use alchemy without a circle too."

"Your right!" Al gasped, "So teacher, she must have performed _it_ too?"

"I don't know Al, but I'm going to ask her about it tomorrow." Ed said with newly gathered courage.

"Well," Ava said standing, "I think I'm more than ready for bed now." She stretched her arms out in front of her. "Good chat Al." She smiled up at him.

"Right, let's head back, it's pretty late." Al stood and Ed followed. The three walked back to the house together, trying to keep conversation a little lighter.

As weird as it felt to stir up the past, it felt nice to open up to the boys. She felt like a small stepping stone of trust was laid out. Ava lied down, said her goodnight's and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Ava awoke early, still used to helping Roger open up shop. "Mornin' Al" she said

eyes squeezed shut from a yawn. She sat up.

"Ava, good morning, did you sleep well?" He said from where he sat at the foot of her bed.

"Better than expected," She shrugged and looked over to Ed who was still sleeping. "Alright pipsqueak, your first day of alkahestry training has begun." She said lowly.

Al chuckled a little, "You're lucky he wasn't awake to hear that."

"Wake up sunshine!" She smiled mischievously and bounded over to Ed.

"Wha-?" Ed rolled over eyes half open.

"Let's go!" she pulled the pillow out from under his head.

"What's wrong with you," he shouted sleepily "It's way too early!"

"Are you gonna' get up?" she held the pillow warningly, "Because I _will_ hit you with this."

Ed protested but woke anyway. Ava grabbed a small, leather bound book from her bag and tucked it her back pocket and led them out into the front of the shop. She kneeled and drew a few circles on the ground with a stick and started explaining alkahestry in a way she hoped would be easy for Ed to grasp _and_ Al since he was also listening in. She told him how it harnesses the flow of life force that covers all the earth, whereas alchemy largely uses power generated by the movement of tectonic plates and its wild spinning core. She told them about 'Chi' the ever-flowing pathways of energy that run through the body. Back in Xing, alkahestry was mainly used for medicinal purposes but Ava had found a way to spin its use into a valuable fighting tool.

"You see, I can designate point A here," she gestured to a circle in front of her, "and point B there." She pointed a little ways away. "When I activate point A, point B will activate as well." She crouched and placed her hands on circle 'A' and the other glowed. "This is because I can reach circle 'B' using chi that runs through the ground." Al watched wordlessly.

"How is this useful to someone like me? I don't need arrays to perform something like that, neither do you." He sneered a little.

"Well there are a few ways, If you look at it from a medical perspective, and add in the ability wherein one does not need to use a physical matrix-" She stood abruptly aptly removing the dagger from her ankle and throwing it at Ed slicing a paper thin cut onto his left forearm.

Ed's eyes widened from surprise, "Watch it! What's wrong with you!?" He yelled while examining the tiny wound.

Ava pushed her hands into the ground, blue sparks emitted from her hands and leapt into the earth, appearing again crawling up Ed's leg and eventually to his arm. The crackling light concentrated around his cut and it soon closed.

"How did you…" He looked his arm over, turning it this way and that.

"Pretty neat huh? It works for little injuries; I don't know about big ones, I've never had to try, fortunately." Ava smiled contently with her hands on her hips.

"That's incredible." Ed said, still dumbfounded.

"That was amazing!" Al said excitedly and pumped a fist into the air and took a few steps closer to look at his brother's arm when the ground beneath his feet started to shake and erupted with a loud bang and puff of dirt. It wasn't too powerful of a blast, but enough to knock Al on his rear.

"Another way it can be used is as an element of surprise, in a fight this would be like setting a trap that you don't have to be present to activate and it's entirely invisible." She said smugly.

"When the hell did you do that?" Ed shouted gawking at the crater.

"Right before I healed you. I prepped that little trap for your brother by connecting my chi to the earths; I can harness the ability to create _those_. They're really formed by collecting a ton of swirling energy in one place, you make it just unstable enough so that any other energy that interrupts its' organized chaos with be just the push it needs to go over the edge."

Al stood and tried to dust himself off. Ava reached into her pocket and pulled out the little brown book. "Here," She tossed it to Ed, who caught it aptly, "read this, it should help explain chi a little more in depth. It will help you understand how to tap into the flow of it, both in your body and the earth." She walked past him, tugging the little dagger from the dirt and faceting it back into place.

"This better not be all encrypted and garbled like the other stuff," He grumbled and turned it front to back.

"No, I wrote that one," She said mildly annoyed "so have some faith in me okay? I've made a few discoveries of my own here and there."

"What the hell is all this noise?!" Izumi crashed through the door suddenly. The three jumped and stammered for words.

"Sorry teacher!" Ed said straightening his back "We didn't mean to wake you!"

"Uh, you see, Ava is teaching, uh," Al didn't know how to respond.

"Ed did it!" Ava said playfully pointing.

Izumi looked them all over and sighed. "Well it's time for breakfast, everyone inside and eat!"

"Yes ma'am!" Ava scurried into the house followed by the boys.

They all ate contently; they spoke about what Ava had demonstrated earlier. Ava wasn't sure, but she though Izumi may have looked a little impressed, just a passing expression maybe. When they had finished, Ava helped with clean up while the boys did some odd jobs around the shop for Sig. When noon came around Ava hit the books hard, starting another little study guide for Ed to use, at one point she helped Izumi with customers in the shop.

That evening Ed and Al had gone outside to spar with their teacher. Ava was midway through deciphering some cryptic verse from one of the journals she brought along with her when she heard some serious yelling from outside. She opened the front door slowly and peeked out.

"You saw it!" Izumi yelled. Ava could tell that it wasn't really a question.

"Y-Yes!" Ed stood up straight as a board, he looked a little uneasy. Not knowing what was coming next.

"It seems where both helpless." Izumi lowered her head.

Ava pulled he door closed quietly. _She must be talking about Truth_. _She really must have seen it too._ She had trailed off a little into her thoughts when the door opened, startling her. Ed met her eye to eye with a questioning look. "Oh!" she searched for something to say, "I want to let you guys know I was going to go for a walk!" She tried to seem as nonchalant as possible. _Great, now I gotta' go for walk._

"Alright, just be back in time for dinner." Izumi said as they all entered the house. Ava had to squeeze against the wall so Al could pass.

Ava took a random route, not really caring where she went. She popped in a few interesting looking shops but nothing really caught her eye. She passed the bench they had occupied last night, just as a strange feeling came over her. She eyed it for a moment but kept walking.

"You look like a nice lady," An unfamiliar voice said to her, "Spare any money for a poor beggar?"

Ava turned to see a shady little character, face shrouded with a cloak, leaned up in an alley between two buildings. She took a few steps closer. "No, I'm sorry but I don't have any on me," she patted her empty pockets. "I'm really sorry."

"Oh, aren't you the girl with the State Alchemist boy and his hollow brother?" He peered out from the hood, his face was round with a big pointy nose, his skin was grey and a little spotted.

She was nearly about to reply with a _yes_ when what he said really sunk in. _'his hollow brother'_. How the hell did he know that? She grabbed a baton from her back and during the motion turned it into a blade by the time she lunged into the alley and forced it against the strange man's neck. "Who are you?" She growled.

He just started laughing maniacally. She brought the knife back with intent to smack him in the head with the hilt, to knock him out. She needed some answers from this guy. But as soon as the blade moved the man spun quickly and a large lizard like tail swept her feet and knocked her to the ground. She smacked the back of her head _hard_. Her vision blurred and her ears rang.

"What they hell are you?" She yelled at the creature, though it probably came out more like a whisper. It paid no heed and like some insect, no_ a lizard,_ it clambered up the wall and out of sight. She saw that bizarre tail flicker one last time over the top of the building before she blacked out.

_I'm geeked to start on the next chapter!_

_Sorry its been a min. since I've updated, work is driving me mad. _

_Please drop a review let me know what you think so far, good and back etc._

_Thanks!_

**_~NDG_**


	6. Like A Ghost

_**Don't own fma! Just my OC.**_

**Alright guys this is more like a chapter 5.5. I've been so busy and I haven't updated in forever, I just wanted to give you guys _something _so this one will be a little short. There may be a few mistakes here and there, I looked over it a few times but I was rushing so please forgive me. I'm in the middle of the next chapter, I'll try to balance out some good time to work on these regularly. **

**I'd like to give a thanks to all who reviewed and have been following, It feels really good to get positive feedback!**

**State of flux**

**Chapter 6**

She was dead by the time they had found her. They wouldn't know what could have been done to her face, she was barely recognizable. They had cut out her tongue so she couldn't scream if by chance she came to. Her hands and were feet bound so she couldn't transmute or run away. A mortal amount of blood pooled around her in a morbid outline. Ava watched like a specter as Ed and Al dropped to the side of the body, silently screaming. Their hands passed over the gaping wounds cut into the prostrate form. They looked to each other, and then spoke, but Ava couldn't hear them. She watched Ed's lips move, forming trembling words, and she could only pick up a few. _Ava_, _Dead, why? _ Al punched the wall in the alley.

"What? No! Wait!" She kneeled beside Ed. "I'm here! I'm right here! That's not me, see, I'm alive," She screamed into Ed's face holding her hands out. "Look! I'm here! Right here!" she was met with no response. They brothers stood and started to turn around.

She grabbed her head in her hands. She could feel her heartbeat rising in her ears and her breathing got heavy. "No! _Wait! _I'm still breathing! I've still got a heartbeat, look!" She took the dagger from her ankle and sliced her arm open, she watched the blood trickle down to the cobblestones of the alley and slip into the cracks. But they walked away, from her and the lifeless body. A few tears started washing down Ava's cheeks as she watched them walk into the sunlight glaring at the end of the alley. She shifted slowly, eyes beholding the dead form in front of her. She moved a shaking hand closer and closer, to touch a ravaged arm. She pulled away fast; it was cold and sticky from all the blood.

_Is this really me? It looks like me…_ she hated herself for admitting it, but there was a solid resemblance. _The hair, the clothes…_

"Oh god," she twisted her hands into her hair, "Oh god no… what the hell is this?"

"_Ava, wake up." _A voice called to her.

Ava glanced back to the alley entrance where she could now barely see the silhouettes of the boys, "There's no waking up anymore! I'm dead!" she screamed and closed her eyes, trying to stifle tears.

"_Ava, please!"_

"You idiot, you fool! Can't you see? Right there, plain as day!" She opened her eyes to look at the body, _her body_, again. It was gone. She gasped and looked around.

"_You're alright, okay? Everything's fine, just wake up! Dammit!" Edward?_

And just like that she was snapped back into consciousness. The nightmare blurred into a now unpleasant memory. The iron laden smell of and blood wafted into her nose. She felt cold. She could hear shuffling beside her.

"Brother, I think she's coming to." _Alphonse?_

She tried opening her eyes, they felt so heavy. They fluttered open for a second; she could hardly make out two outlines. It was so dark. She managed to open them again; she stared into two golden eyes for a few moments. Then remembered, the alley, the man, she fell…

"Ed? Ed!" She tried sitting up, got halfway when they pain rippled through her. She breathed sharply and reached up feeling the back of her head.

"Whoa, Ava what happened?!" Al had grabbed her shoulders and steadied her so she wouldn't fall back again.

When Ava looked at her fingers they were covered in blood. She winced. "A lizard man!" she said abruptly, trying to stand, looking for a way up the wall she last saw him climbing.

"Great, she's gone crazy." Ed said flatly.

"I'm not crazy!" She managed to get up onto one knee and shook Al's hands off her shoulders. "He knew about you Al, about your body."

"What? Who did?" Al said shocked.

"Some creep, disguised as a homeless man. He must have been following us, or something. I tried to knock him out, but he had a lizard tail? He took my feet right from underneath me." She sighed, "_I_ got knocked out instead I guess."

"Who was this guy? What did he look like?" Ed said angrily

Ava stood regaining some balance. "Let's start heading back, I'll tell you on the way there. It's a mouthful."

She recounted the events of the meeting, the boys both pondered this seriously, "So do you think this is something we should tell your teacher about?"

Ed and Al stiffened and laughed a bit nervously. "About, that…" Al said.

"We kind of got expelled and were kicked out," Ed finished.

"What?! Expelled for what?" Ava stopped walking and put her hands on her hips.

"Well she said she couldn't consider us as her pupils after what we had… _done_." Al explained.

"That's crazy! Didn't she perform _it_ too? Doesn't that make you equally as guilty?" Ava tapped her foot. "I can't believe you two are just going to give up on her and walk away like that."

"Equally as… Oh my god Al, were such idiots." Ed groaned.

"What why?" Al seemed taken aback.

"Now that were not her pupils, we can talk to her as equals. It's not an end to our relationship with teacher, just a dynamic change."

"You're right brother, we need to go back." Al nodded.

"Darn straight. Let's just keep the hustle to a minimum, I've got a splitting headache." Ava grunted. "I've just been passed out in an alley for a few hours. I'm not too chipper at the moment."

"Right, I hope your head is alright." Al said as they started walking again.

"Yeah, me too," Ed agreed. "But I can't believe you let yourself get taken out so easily. I mean, come on, we haven't even been in a real fight yet and your all banged up." Ed teased harshly.

"Really?" Ava punched his shoulder playfully. "Watch yourself boy, you might tick me off and I might say mean things to you or something."

"Oh, and I hope you're not angry with us, but we told her that you were able to transmute without a circle like brother. We tried to be as vague as possible, but she does know a bit why." Alphonse said apologetically.

"We're really sorry, but she asked, we think she may have known already." Ed said a little ashamed too, "Probably from your lessons this morning."

Ava shrugged, "Well, it's a little peeving but there's nothing I can do about it now. But I would like to know what drove _her_ to perform that taboo."

"I guess it's only fair" Ed sighed, "She tried to bring back her baby, she lost some of her internal organs." Short and sweet was easy enough for her. She just nodded.

As they walked they had all come up with an agreement that none of them would tell Izumi about the strange man. As far as she would know Ava chased a stray kitten into an alley and slipped on some trash. They also agreed that when out of the shop they would always have someone with them. Staying in pairs would be the safest option until they had a little more information on what was going on in Dublith.

Ava trailed off a little in thought, trying to shake off the last few shudders of that nightmare. _Man that was messed up._ It introduced a new feeling of dread, that she may not make it to the end of this journey. She lagged behind a little, staring at the two boys, backs turned to her, like the dream. She watched them, they had a connection that she would never understand and doubted she would ever be a part of. But, in some star-aligning moment she understood that she almost _needed_ to be here, to help them complete their goal, whether she would be there to see it accomplished or not. She would follow them, like a ghost. Watching and helping where she can, protecting if she could. And she would do her best to find her answers along the way.

After returning to the Curtis' residence and cleaning herself up, Ava sat on the couch next to Izumi and gently massaged her temples. Her headache was going away but it was still enough of a throbbing to annoy her. She looked to the other sofa where Ed an Al sat.

"Al, you didn't see the truth did you?" Izumi said with her thumb and forefinger stroking her chin.

"No, I don't really even know what that means." Al lowered his head.

"You must have lost your memory from the shock." Izumi sat forward. "We need to get Al's memory back. His entire body was taken from him," her eyes narrowed. "Just think what he might've seen."

"Oh yeah, we only exchanged parts of our bodies for what we saw, Al paid the toll with his entire physical being. He must have seen more of the truth than any of us did."

"So, if I can remember what I saw, then we can get our bodies back?" Al said with hope.

Izumi hesitated, "But the memory of that thing" she looked spooked.

"Oh, man," Ava said under her breath, knowing what she meant, her stomach turned a little too.

"That thing…" Ed copied their tones of unsettlement.

"What is it bad?" Al said with worry.

"No, it's more like awful." Izumi waving her arms around like those that hold you at the gate.

"Yeah, horrifying!" Ed added.

"It's pretty creepy; I don't really think the words to describe it exist." Ava said lowly.

"It could drive you insane." Izumi warned.

"Or even leave you brain dead" Ed cautioned.

"It doesn't matter, if there's a chance it could help us, I want to do it." Al said with determination.

"Atta boy!" Ava said smiling, admiring his courage.

Izumi put a hand to her chin, "Alright, I have an acquaintance that might have a way to retrieve your memory for you" She smiled, "But, let's eat dinner first, give me a hand." She stood and turned for the kitchen.

"All right," the three said in unison.

Ava ate greedily. Maybe being knocked out cold increased your appetite by tenfold? Ava insisted on cleaning and Izumi and the boys went outside for another sparring session. When the kitchen was done she decided it was time to turn in.

She lay in the bed for a while. Sleep seemed like it always wanted to evade her. Ava just thought too much, perhaps that's the curse of an introvert. The door opened and Ed walked in. He collapsed on the opposite bed.

"Ed?" Ava said into the silent, dark room, her voice sounded so small. "Where's Al?"

"Oh, sorry if I woke you, he's trying to tap into his 'chi'. He's not having the easiest time; you made it look way easier than it really is."

Ava laughed lightly, "It was hard when I first started learning too." The room was quiet for a while. Ava tossed a little trying to get comfortable and trying to stifle her mind.

"Alright," Ed said flatly, "What's eating you?"

Ava sighed; as much as she tried to cover things up she was an open book. "I feel like there's something I might be missing, like Al. It just doesn't seem right that I obtained the knowledge that I did and all I lose are some memories." She sat on the edge of the bed. "Ed, you gave up your arm, Al lost his whole body. It makes me feel guilty, in a way."

"Ava, don't feel sorry for us," Ed sat up and looked at her intently. "We did this to ourselves."

"I know, and I understand but, I just don't get how I got off so easily." She looked at her hands.

Ed kicked his legs off the bed and sat directly across from her. "Ava, I guess I understand, but what do you think you're missing?"

"I don't know," She said straining, "Maybe I'm just crazy." She covered her face with a pillow and fell backward onto the bed.

Ed laughed lightly, "Maybe you are."

_There's a gap, in that memory of Truth, something else happened. Something I don't remember. I need to know! Every fiber of my being is screaming it. It's not all in my head. At least I hope not, 'cause if it is, well then, that's just terrible. Speaking of head, man does a knockout hurt!_

"Ed?"

"Yeah?"

"You and I should spar."

"Oh yeah? Because I would totally kick your butt." Ed said smugly.

"It's been a long time for me since I tested my abilities, I'm probably, maybe… defiantly rusty. But don't count your chickens; I might just surprise both of us!"

"Ha! You're on."

**Thanks for reading, you guys rock!  
Lemme know what you think, although this was a tiny little baby chapter**.  
**I'd love to get to a point where you, the readers, can suggest little scenarios that I could work in to the story line. I feel like that would be an interesting challenge as an author and offer a sense of real investment for the readers :)**

**peace!**

**~NDG**


	7. The Accidental Intruder Approach

**_Dont own Fma just my OC!_**

_Wooot, this chapter was really fun to write, hope you guys enjoy!  
_

_No more explanation needed, reeeeeaaaaaaad :) _

**State of Flux**

**Chapter 7**

Ed threw the first punch; an uppercut. Ava dodged and grabbed his wrist pulling him forward to throw off his balance and stepped to the side. He regained his composure quickly and threw another punch. Ava brought her arms up to block it but was knocked off of her feet.

She hit the ground with a thud, grunted and gasped for air. However, winded she was, she rolled out of the way instinctively as Ed's fist connected with the ground where her head was moments before. She leaped on Ed's back forcing him to the earth and twisting an arm behind his back painfully. Ed yowled and bucked her off. She scrambled to her feet but before she straightened her back Ed grabbed her from behind.

Ava automatically wriggled out of her t-shirt, spun quickly and looked him dead in the eye. She glowered; sweat soaking through her tank top, "You could have really messed me up if you hit me!"

"Yeah, but I didn't!" He argued.

Ava grabbed her shirt, still in Ed's hand and pulled it over his face. She delivered a powerful kick to his gut and he sprawled to the ground.

Ava laughed lightly, "Sorry that was a bit of a jerk move." She offered a hand to him which he took, Instead of standing he ungratefully yanked her down. He transmuted his arm into a blade and poised it at her neck.

"Touché! Touché!" She held her hands up in surrender.

"Ha! That's more like it!" Ed smiled contently, standing and releasing her.

She stood, shaking off her shirt and wiping sweat off of her brow. Dirt smeared across her forehead. Ed brushed himself off. "That was dirty," Ava sneered. "I thought we were just sparring, no alchemy!"

"There is no such thing as dirty in a fight." Ed said with seriousness.

Ava thought for a moment and nodded in understanding. There's a lesson she wouldn't soon forget and Ed wouldn't forget teaching her.

Ava tore the batons from her back, transmuting them into two short swords. She dropped her stance, low and balanced. Once armed hand poised above her head the other outstretched in front of her; each angry sharp point aimed at Ed. "Let's play dirty" She shifted her weight like a snake waiting to strike. She spun; her swords crossing violently through the air where Ed had been standing. He dodged successfully and engaged her again, automail arm swinging in a wide arc toward her jaw. She ducked and thrust an elbow into Ed's diaphragm. He fought the urge to buckle, coughed and sputtered.

"Would you just stand still?" Ed yelled in aggravation.

She turned again, spinning behind him with all the calculated grace of a dancer. She rested the point of a sword at the base of his skull, but he slipped away quickly.

Ava heard his palms connect and braced. A wall of spikes flew toward her. Instead of fleeing she ran toward them. Bringing her swords together they fused. The steel wrapped itself around her right arm changing it into a sort of plated armor glove that mimicked Ed's arm. She reached forward grabbing a spike just before it had fully erupted from the ground and interrupted the alchemic reaction that was controlling it. She pulled it up from the earth stretching it slightly as to form a thick javelin. She encompassed it with chi and threw it back into the earth. The sound of the missile rotating and tearing through the ground unseen sent Ed a little on edge. She ran at him with a roaring battle cry. Ed pressed his palms down and the ground beneath him rose up to a tower.

"You won't get off that easy!" She smiled

With a flick of her wrist the spike changed course; up the tower of rock. The walls of the structure buckled and bulged the whirring grew louder. Ed leaped off of just as the spike tore through the top.

He ran at her like a wild animal, she braced. He kicked at her with his automail leg, she threw up her armored arm to block it, but the blow was powerful and she stumbled back a few paces.

_He's pretty quick_ she noted.

He followed up with a packing punch aimed at her face that Ava was too slow to dodge entirely. It connected with her left shoulder. She responded with a comparable shot between his eyes, but he ducked down and swung a fist connecting with her right cheek.

She grunted _or maybe I'm starting to slow down._

She swung her steel wrapped arm into his jaw, it landed fabulously. He winced and stepped back. Ava saw a small cut starting to outline in crimson. He glared at her and lunged. She ducked low, placing her hands to the ground quickly and secretly, she backed up a few steps and waited. He pounded right into her trap. The earth buckled downwards and he slipped into a pit. The outer walls slowly broke apart melting into fine sand that quickly filled in the crater; Ed was soon buried being buried. Ava touched the ground again and the sand turned to rock.

Ava walked over to peek in, but Ed wasn't there. "Shit!" She looked around taking up that low and quick-strike friendly stance. "What? Are you hiding now?" She taunted hoping to lure him out. She checked behind her shoulder once more as the crater started to spark.

Ed burst through the center, the ground below Ava's feet shifted and a large hand formed from in front of her. She tried to jump out of the way but it caught her in midair. It tightened into a fist around her entire body, head and feet excluded.

That was it. She couldn't move. Ed had won.

She coughed through the clearing dust. She looked down at Ed who, through all of that, was smiling up at her. "See? I told you I would kick your butt!" He said happy with himself.

"Yeah, yeah, please let me down! This thing is squeezing the life out of me!" She gasped.

"Woohoo! Good job brother!" Al cheered

Ava's head snapped to look at him. Al, Izumi and Sig stood by the door all eyes on her. Defeated. _Oh, well. I did figure as much. I'm not as rusty as I thought I was, but really, Ed is pretty tough._

Ed soon released her from the stone fist and they both worked quickly to repair the yard around Sig and Izumi's house.

"So, Ed," Ava dusted her hands off on her pants. "pointers?" She raised a brow.

Ed thought for a moment, "Your adaptation of alkahestry and your weapons keep to at a long and mid-range advantage. But you have to work of your hand to hand, that's where I could get you out of your element every time."

Ava nodded, "Gotcha'."

"Let's head in, I'm sure there's plenty teacher has for us to do." Ed walked toward the shop.

Ava surveyed the now fixed lawn, and rubbed her cheek where she had been hit earlier. She replayed a few instances of the spar in her mind delegating on what she could have done better, or differently, to have created a victory for herself.

"Hey come on!" Ed snapped from the doorway. Ava jumped, didn't expect him to be there still. Though it had probably only been a few moments.

"Sorry, zoned out there for a minute." She jogged toward him. Ed held the door open for her to enter. Ava saw him look left and right down the street before closing the door.

"Since when do you hold doors for ladies?" Ava teased dryly.

"Always in pairs remember? Regardless of what's going on we need to be alert and on guard."

"You're right," she almost faced palmed. _How could I forget about that lizard freak?_ "Sorry, I had a momentary lapse there, won't happen again."

Izumi did indeed have plenty for them to do. They cleaned the shop from top to bottom and helped prepare with butchering and prep work. Ed helped Sig in shop while Al and Ava swept up the store front.

"Where are we supposed to be sweeping this, into the street?" Ava asked peeved.

"Well, I don't know really. We just need to make sure it looks perfect or teacher will kill us." Al replied.

"All you're doing is just pushing it around." Ava teased him lightheartedly. "See, you gotta' commit to a direction." Ava starting pushing some dirt toward the gutter when a car drove by kicking it all back up onto her and the sidewalk.

"Great technique!" Al laughed at her.

"Really world?" Ava cursed at the sky.

"Ava?" Sig peeked out from the door, "I could use your help with something real quick."

"Oh sure be right there." She gave a concerning look to Al. "Will you be okay for a second?"

He nodded. "Don't worry about me, just be quick."

Ava followed Sig into the butcher room where Ed looked like he was trying to fish something out of the drain in the floor; Sig looked on with a twinge of nervousness in his expression. "What did you need me for?"

"This big guy dropped his wedding ring and it fell down the drain!" Ed grumbled. Sig humphed.

"Let me have a look," Ava peeked in and could barely see she shiny gold ring it was teetering dangerously on the edge of falling down a much larger pipe that connected further down. Ed's hands where just a little too big to reach it. "Here," She kneeled down and gingerly slid her arm down the pipe, gently picking up the ring with two fingers. She held it up triumphantly.

"Thank you." Sig took it from her.

"Anytime!" She smiled.

"Thank god, Izumi would have lost it on you." Ed breathed relieved, more for Sig than himself.

"Alright well, I'm going back out front." She left them.

Ava trotted back to the door. "Hey Al!" She hopped out of the shop. "Al?" She looked around his broom lay on the ground haphazardly. Her heart jumped to her throat. _I left for a minute!_ She looked down the street, just waiting to see the giant suit of armor petting a squirrel or playing with a frog or something, no such luck. _Shit!_ She was about to start hollering his name when she heard a commotion a few blocks down. She ran.

She heard yelling and a struggle. _Not too far off now!_ She transmuted the metal plates on her fingerless gloves to liken brass knuckles. She found herself barreling down an alley, but stopped dead when she saw that lizard like tail disappear into a doorway.

"The Devil's Nest huh?" Ava noticed the sign, _what should I expect, the butterfly house? _ "Awe dammit." She walked slowly to the door hugging the wall beside it. She put an ear to it. Just some muffled noises. She turned the knob and it opened slowly. She slid in as soon as it was wide enough for her to slip through.

She slinked through a long, ill lit hallway, following the sounds of voices. She stopped at a door a few yards down where she was sure they were all located. From what she could tell Al _was_ there but so were quite a few others. She pressed her ear to the door.

"Ava or my brother will notice I'm gone soon, and they'll come looking for me!" Al warned.

"Oh will they? That puny little brat and the weak girl?" An unfamiliar voice responded. "It doesn't matter, because you're not leaving until you tell me what I want to know."

"I'm not telling you anything!" Ava heard Al yell feverently.

"You will." The man said confidently, "Or I'll just pick you apart until I get want regardless."

Ava took a deep breath and thought. _Okay, how to handle this. What advantages do I have? Surprise is one, and well… surprise, that's all I really have going for me. Okay, I need a game plan. _

She decided to milk the weak comment and play the damsel in distress for a little while. Since busting in right away wouldn't really accomplish much but a mindless brawl and there were still answers she wanted to accumulate, she figured the accidental intruder approach would be useful.

A few moments past while Ava waited for the conversation to draw and when she felt the time was right she swung open the door and stood in the doorway faceting a look of fear muddled with confusion to keep with the persona. _Act reckless and stupid, untrained. Pretend. _

"What are you doing with Al?" She yelled almost childishly. "Who are all you people?" Ava looked around to the people she now shared the room with and her stomach turned. Not because she was afraid, but the mix of chi she was receiving from the occupants was all twisted and wrong. This disturbed her, but she kept it together.

For the sake of the charade she kind of cowered a little, tried to make herself seem very small. By now all eyes were on her. She ran toward Al impulsively.

"No! Ava what are you doing?" Al tried to lunge forward, "get out while to can, these people are dangerous!" His feet and hands were bound.

She had to consciously stop an annoyed look from crossing her face. She was counting on the thugs to underestimate her, but c'mon, Al? She wanted so badly to shoot him a look that said 'I've got this under control' but couldn't do so without it going unnoticed.

Within moments a huge man grabbed Ava by the shoulders and held her in place. "Hold on girl." Ava cringed.

"Oh my, an uninvited guest," A man with dark spikey hair and a fur trimmed leather jacket walked over, hands shoved into his pockets. "You're the girl Bido found!" The little lizard creep from the night before peeked out from behind him.

Ava glared. _You sunnova…_

"You're not really that important to me," The man, whom she had assumed to be the 'boss' chuffed. His lips curled into a devilish grin. "But I'd be willing to bet that you mean something to this guy." He stole a weighted glace at Al, then to another member of his entourage.

"You got it Greed." The man he indicated nodded in affirmation of whatever unspoken order was given. He was short and armed with a sword.

Ava breathed sharply as the man whirled around behind her taking the place of the large fellow. It was a matter of a heartbeat and she felt the wickedly sharp, feather light kiss of a blade against her neck.

"You let her go!" Al demanded struggling against his restraints. "She doesn't know anything; she's not a part of this!"

Ava waited patiently through all the commotion for her window of opportunity. If she could get away from Mr. Sharp objects she might be able to at least cut Al's restraints so they could fight together. However, there were a few things that made her hesitate; one was that they guy restraining her was just oozing an irregular chi, of which she noticed earlier. The other was the complacent leader of theirs who practically radiated it. It didn't seem human at all, but she had never experienced anything like it before.

"What are you?" She sneered at the man in the leather jacket, almost forgetting her façade.

"You just missed the introductions," he put his finger to his chin. "I'll make this short for you, all my friends here, they're chimeras, and you can thank your wonderful government for them. That man holding you, Dolcetto, is part dog. As for me," He held up the back of his left hand, showing off an odd tattoo. "I'm a homunculus; an artificially created human being. I'm around 200 years old and as I've already died once today I don't feel like doing it again. You'll just have to take my word for it."

That sent Ava's head swimming. Artificial humans, military created chimeras? Talk about surprises. She swallowed and felt the steel rub against her throat.

"Would you quit struggling?" A woman's voice rang from _within_ Al. "You're giving me a headache!"

"Is someone inside of you?" Ava asked Al dumbfounded.

"Uh, yeah and it's really weird!" Al squirmed some more.

"Just shut up and tell us how you bonded your soul to the armor before we have to take you apart!" The woman warned from within him.

"I wish I could tell you," Al said somberly, "That would mean I actually remember how I got it. Even if I could I'm not the one who did the transmutation."

"That's not a problem." Greed pointed a finger at Al. "In that case, I'll just ask the person who did.

Just then the lizard man, _Bido_, slipped out the door hood pulled tightly over his head.

_Shit, he's after Ed…_ Ava frowned.

She waited patiently. Ed would come and when he did it would offer her the perfect distraction to get away from her captor. Her escape would need to be precise, but it would be easy enough with attention drawn to Ed. She kept steeling glances at Al and finally he met her sight and she winked quickly. He nodded. She wasn't entirely sure, but she believed he understood.

It wasn't long before she knew he was near. She was getting used to his energy and she could feel it. What she wasn't used to however, was applying it so much in these risky circumstances. She counted down in her head,

_3…2…1… _

The door burst open and Ed tossed in the battered body of the reptilian chimera. Ava felt her oppressor startle and look to the door. _Perfect._ He was distracted one second too long. She grabbed his hand on hilt of Dolcetto's sword and channeled her chi into it causing it to go limp and the weapon dropped to the floor with a clatter. The man shook his hand and cursed at her. "Howd'ya do that?!" He growled rubbing his hand. She could see he was already regaining some movement. Ava kicked the sword away and held her fists up just begging for him to try something. "Damn," Dolcetto frowned. "little girl's got tricks."

"I didn't really think that you could get kidnapped." Ed said to his brother. "And you're here too?" He looked to Ava.

"You bet." She said eyes still locked on the man.

"Brother, this guy's a homunculus!" Al warned quickly.

"Are you serious?" Ed gaped.

"Way to ruin it." Greed wined lazily.

"We might be able to get some leads from him about how to get our original bodies back." Al leaned forward.

"You guys are pretty desperate to get your bodies back right?" Greed observed. Ed and Al stiffened. "Because I can teach you how to fabricate your own homunculus in no time at all, In return all I ask is that you teach me how to transmute a soul; Classic equivalent exchange." He put his hands to his hips. Ed Glared even more. "But I really don't understand why you would want your other body back, seems that you've got one that's perfect already."

"No I don't!" Al yelled angrily.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Ava yelled at greed. Wasn't it perfectly clear to anyone why he would want his flesh and blood body back?

"You don't need to eat, you don't need to sleep, Hell you don't even need to use the toilet. Sounds great to me." Greed held his hand out in argument.

"That's enough! Shut your damned mouth! Sounds great to you? Sounds perfect?" Ed's temper roared. "You don't know the hell he's had to go through stuck with that body. And you wanna' know how to transmute a soul? You kidnap my brother and you want to trade secrets with me!?" Ed practically writhed with hatred toward Greed. "I won't tell you slime anything! In other words there won't be an exchange with you scum!"

Everyone was left a little speechless from his eruption. Ava was just glad she wasn't on the receiving end of that outburst.

"I guess where doing this by force again." Dolcetto dove quickly for his sword, too quick for Ava to stop him, and then jumped at Ed. He swung but Ed moved faster and jumped over the blade punching the guy straight onto his back.

Ava ran to Ed's side taking up an offensive position next to him. They both stared the homunculus down.

"Roa get the armored kid outta here, guess we'll dismantle him." Greed said taking his hands from his pockets.

"Drop him!" Ed transmuted the blade out of his arm and ran toward Al, but Greed cut him off. His blow was stopped dead against the now dark skin that greed wore on his hand. Ava jumped after him; pulling out her batons she turned them into to two sickle shaped blades. Right as greed leaned back to dodge a blow from Ed, Ava connected. One of the blades wrapped around Greed's neck the momentum swung her around and she placed her feet against his back. She pulled the other sword around his shoulder and tried to yank him down. It sickened her a little bit, the feeling of her blades gliding through flesh. But he just pulled himself free with his black hands that seemed to be unaffected by anything. He tossed her aside like a rag doll. One of her blades went flying but Ava landed on her feet and promptly regrouped with Ed. Red sparks emitted from the places she cut Greed and he healed instantly.

"Your little swords tricks are kind of neat, but it can't even scratch my ultimate shield." The homunculus boasted and started toward Ed.

Ed clapped his hands together and forced them to the ground. Spikes tore through the floor and toward Greed who just knocked them away. Ed jumped while he had an opening and landed a critical blow to his head. Greed lay in the rubble.

"Guard your head next time!" Ed warned.

"Ed," Ava placed a hand on his shoulder. "If you think you can handle things here, I'm going to go look for Al." She said quickly.

"I'll be fine, go. Just be careful!" He gave her a reassuring look as Greed started to stir.

Ava gathered her other blade and ran out of the room in the direction she saw them carry Al off to, leaving behind the ongoing sounds of battle. She ran down the hall for a handful of yards and took an abrupt turn when she thought she heard something to her right. Ava skidded to a halt inches away from a sword between the eyes. "Going somewhere?" The dog-man sneered, baring his teeth like an animal.

"Move," She growled back, "Or I will go _through _you."

_Hope you guys enjoyed this! Please leave some feedback and let me know what you thought about it. ALSO I would like to thank the people who have been really positive and encouraging you all rock!_

_Untill next time, peace!_

**_~NDG_**


	8. Seeing Red

_**Dont own FMA just my**_** OC!**

_Enjoy guys!_

**State Of Flux:**

**Chapter 8**

"Why don't you just try that?" Dolcetto sneered.

Ava swallowed. Taunting the man that held a sword to your face may not be the best of ideas. She drew a sharp breath through her teeth as she prepared herself for her next move and launched into a back handspring, landing safely a few feet away.

"Oh thank god that worked." She sighed, relieved, she raised her fists, knuckles still wrapped in the steel. "Where is Al?" She demanded.

"Don't worry about your little friend; he's fine," He shrugged, "For now."

Her blood boiled and she ran at him. She ducked beneath a swing of his sword and snapped a punch to his gut. He coughed painfully. She slammed a kick to the side of his face and he fell against the wall. She remembered the advice Ed gave. Her complacency in her weapons left her at a disadvantage in a fist fight. If she could keep this guy from his blade she might really have a good chance at winning this. He started to stand and she lashed out again. But before her blow could land he grabbed her wrist. She hesitated a second, "Oh shit." Her stomach turned and adrenaline ripped through her veins. _So much for that plan._

Dolcetto swung at her but she tore her hand free and leaped away, landing very ungracefully. She hopped to her feet as quickly as she could. She reached for her sickle shaped blades straightening them out to two short swords. She bowed low, one blade above her head the over pointing at the mutt.

He smiled at her amused. "How much longer can you to keep this up?"

"As long as I need to."

"Really? You're going to bleed out eventually." He eyed her abdomen.

A lump formed in her throat. She slowly took her eyes off of him looking down to her stomach, blood soaked through the left side of her shirt. She did everything she could not to panic and lifted it gingerly. She grit her teeth, a deep gash traced from her side to the middle of her stomach, just below the rib cage. She fought the urge to vomit, lowered her shirt and resumed her stance.

_It's not fatal and my body is in too much shock for it to hurt yet. But if I don't stop the bleeding soon it could be. I gotta' take this guy out before the pain sets in, which means I don't have much time._

"You…You son of a bitch." She fumed, seeing red; she had never been so upset. So upset with herself. How could she let this happen?

_Breathe. Zen-out Ava. Keep it under control._ She threw one of her short swords at Dolcetto, it pierced his shoulder and stuck into the wall behind him. He yelled in pain dropping his sword to yank out the blade. They could hear fights breaking out elsewhere within the building, even some gunfire. Ava bent down, which sent her wound screaming, blood soaked through to the bottom of her shirt. She clapped her hands together and placed them on the ground. The ceiling above the chimera shook. His eyes looked upward in terror, pulling harder at the weapon pinning him to the wall. It gave and came crashing down. But she caught a glimpse of movement just at the last second, a flash of dark hair the white clothes and the glint of his sword. When the rubble cleared he was gone.

She wished so badly she could tend to her would but the chatter of gunfire was getting louder. "I have to find Ed, maybe he's already got Al by now." She stood a little shaky initially, but steadied herself.

She ran down the hall, trying to retrace her steps back to the room they had fought greed in. "Shit! I must have gotten turned around." She looked to her left, to her right. Just grey walls and pipes. The sense of urgency was strong, but she needed to close her wound. She could hear the sounds of a fight not far off, "This isn't probably the best time, but I can't be picky right now."

Ava leaned against the wall, lifted her shirt and winced. She held both of her hands over the gash and focused her chi, she could feel the warm electric like energy pulling from her body and centering at the cut. Sparks jumped around her hands and eventually the wound closed, at least on the outside. She breathed a little easier, but had no time to rest.

Two huge men barreled through the wall a few yards in front of her. One she recognized as the man that carried Al away and the other wore the blue pants signature of military personnel, his shirt was nowhere to be seen. They faced each other muscles flexing. Ava hugged the wall closely.

"You're just as tough as ever Major Armstrong," Roa wiped some blood from his cheek. "Last time I saw you in action was the Ishvalen Civil War"

"A former ally eh?" The military man seemed surprised. "No need for such bloodshed, surrender!"

"And just let myself be killed?" The other man seemed to detest the thought.

_What the hell is the military doing here? _Ava heard footsteps running toward them from an intersecting hall. She didn't know who it was, but she was sure it wasn't any more of the chimeras. She hadn't yet been noticed, but that would change soon, she needed to make sure they knew she wasn't the enemy.

"Major!" Five armed military men rounded the corner, guns at the ready. The Armstrong fellow ducked off to the side noticing Ava as he did so. "What are you doing here? Watch out!" Ava closed the distance between her and the man she clapped her hands together and placed them on the wall quickly, forming a barrier around them both. The others opened fire. "Hey big guy, I'm on your side okay? My names Ava, I'm here with Fullmetal." She yelled over the noise. The strain pained her newly closed wound and she clutched her side.

"Roa!" Someone yelled. Ava recognized the voice. She peered out just in time to see Dolcetto take out a few of the soldiers and slash a hot water pipe. The room filled with steam and the gunfire increased again before it died out completely.

"Hold your fire!" Armstrong yelled. He stepped out from behind the shield Ava had made and dragged her out with him. "You're a friend of Edward Elric?" He asked as the soldiers gathered around them.

"Yes and right now Alphonse is in trouble, we have to find him." She said urgently.

He looked at her for a moment. "Any friend of the Elric brother's is a friend of mine!" He shouted flexing, he damn near seemed to sparkle. Ava stiffened; confused. She looked around at the others as if asking if this behavior was normal. None of them seemed phased, one even nodded and shrugged as if they understood the questioning look in her eye.

"Oh thank you?" She still wasn't sure how to act, but the guy was pretty amusing none-the-less.

"Oh no, your hurt, it looks serious! Don't worry I'll get you to a medic!" He tried to scoop her up but she jumped out of the way.

"Thank you, but I'm fine, took care of it myself." She laughed and waved her hands in front of her. "It just looks bad, promise!"

Another soldier rounded the corner, saluted the Major and snapped a report. "The building sweep is complete, Fullmetal is secured and the woman is being escorted back to her residence. There is a team investigating the sewer system below as we speak.

_The woman? Was Izumi here? _

"Well done. Alright men, lets re-group with Fullmetal and the rest of the team. Ava, come with us." She nodded and followed closely behind as they jogged away.

They led her to a hall lined on either side with blue uniformed men. Major Armstrong stepped to the side and she spotted Ed, he must have spotted her first because he was already running in her direction.

"Ava! Are you alright? What happened?" He spazzed pointing at her blood soaked shirt.

"Are you kidding me, what happened to you?" She moved his bangs away checking out some nice sized gashes, blood traced down either side of his face like red war paint. "And here I thought I'd be the only one all beat up."

Ed swatted her hand away, "What happened to finding Al?"

"I ran into the swordsman you met earlier," she waved it off, "How did things go with Greed?"

"He ran away after teacher showed up." He said flatly.

"Hell, I'd run away too." Ava snickered and Ed cracked a smile.

They were interrupted by a squad of soldiers running up the hallway. "Major Armstrong Sir," One began, snapping a salute, "We've found the armored kid." Ed and Ava perked.

"What's his status?" Armstrong strode over to him.

"Nonresponsive." the soldier said gravely.

Ava and Ed exchanged fearful looks, "Where is he? Take me to him!" Ed yelled.

Armstrong put a heavy hand on his shoulder, "No Edward you are to stay here and I'll retrieve him." Armstrong hurried off quickly.

"Like hell I will!" Edward tried to follow him but was cut off when the armed men choked the hall and wouldn't let him pass.

Ava dragged him back, "Ed, calm down, I'm sure Al is fine. Just keep it together."

"Easy for you to say, he's not your brother!" Ed huffed and puffed, pacing angrily.

Ava leaned against the wall clutching her side absently, she watched him move back and forth. She didn't want to show it but she was freaking out too, enough that her heart felt like it could beat out of her chest. _Al nonresponsive? Not good._ She worried.

The tension released when they spotted Armstrong with Al's motionless form draped over one beefy shoulder. Ed and Ava ran at him busting through the guards. "Al! Al?" Ed called to his brother, fear thick in his voice. Armstrong sat him on the floor and propped him against the wall. Ed waved a hand in front of his eyes. Nothing.

Ava drew in closer, blood seeped out of the cracks and folds of Al's body. She kneeled beside him. "Al?" She whispered. She undid one of the ties that attached his breastplate. Something wasn't right about all that blood.

"What are you doing?" Ed asked her. She undid the other tie and pulled back the metal. They all gasped. A crumpled corpse of a woman slumped within him. Blood covered everything. Ava's stomach lurched but she swallowed and did all she could too keep her cool.

She gently set aside the breastplate, Ed and Armstrong where already moving to remove the body. She watched as they pulled her out, limp and lifeless, a gruesome wound through her skull and into her chest cavity. Some of the other men covered her with a blanket. Ava cringed.

"Al, wake up! Al! Say something! Al!" Ed yelled at his brother, it was silent for a while and they held their breath.

But soon the light returned to the hollow holes that where Al's eyes and he lifted his head slowly, looking over both of them. "Brother?" Al seemed groggy.

"Finally!" Ava breathed happily.

Ed sighed relieved, "You okay?"

"Are _you_ okay? You two are covered in blood!"

Ed looked at him sadly, Ava eyed the lifeless form. Al looked at his blood soaked body and flinched.

Armstrong knelt beside him, "We thought it best to remove her before you woke."

Al covered his face with his hands "I couldn't save her." He shuddered; his shoulders shook as if he were crying.

"You can't blame yourself Al." Ed said trying to calm him. "C'mon, let's go home, 'kay?" He smiled forcefully, for his brother's sake.

Ava reached out and put a hand on Al's arm. She smiled at him too. She didn't know what she could say to make things better.

"Al?" Ed awaited some response. Al dropped his hands and nodded.

"Hold it you three!" An oppressing voice caught them all off guard. Ava turned to see who was there and it was the Fuhrer. The leader of Amestris. _This day is just getting weirder and weirder._ "There are a few questions I have to ask you all before you can leave." Ed and Al seemed just as shocked as her. "Did either of you have any previous dealings with the man that referred to himself as Greed?"

"'Course not" Ed answered shortly. Ava stayed silent, letting Ed take point.

"Did you happen to trade any manner of information with him?" King Bradley asked. Ava didn't like him, not one bit, his presence made her skin crawl.

"Not at all and the military wasn't even mentioned, not once." Ed stayed even keel.

Ava tensed; a man standing behind Ed raised his gun, pointing it at the back of his head. Al noticed too and placed a protecting arm in front of Ava.

"That isn't my concern, let me be more specific." Bradley's face darkened and his tone threatened, "If you arranged a deal or shared any knowledge with him, then I'll execute you all right now." They were silent. "I'll ask you again; did you share any knowledge that might affect the military?"

"No, can we go now?" Ed's eyes narrowed

"I am curious about your steel arm and leg and your brothers armored body, is there any connection between the two?" Ed and Al stiffened.

"You really are and honest kid," His expression lightened and a smile cracked on his face, though, it didn't reach his eyes. "And you girl, Ava, right?" She nodded. "The military could really use someone with your talent. Have you ever thought of becoming a state alchemist?"

Ava felt like she'd been kicked in the teeth, _really, trying to recruit me?_ She shook her head. "Haven't given it much thought."

Bradley shrugged. "Well, if you ever change your mind, let me know." He turned and walked away. "Alright men, pull out."

* * *

It had felt like weeks had gone by since they had left Izumi's and found themselves in that hell hole. But in truth it was just late in the evening of that very same day. Ava and Ed worked to scrub Al clean of all the dried and caked blood. She and Ed had had a chance to clean up and change. Al had been telling them about what happened when they were separated, about the sewers and King Bradley killing all of Greed's henchmen, even the girl inside of him.

They were almost finished polishing Al. when Major Armstrong came by to check on them. He and Ed spoke for a moment; she was too lost in thought and busy placing the mail mesh she had soaked back into Al's chest.

"Listen Edward," Armstrong placed both his hands on Ed's shoulders and looked him dead in the eye. "Do not, do anything rash."

Ed looked at him wide eyed and confused, "Sure."

The Major stood and turned to walk away, "Well then, goodnight."

There was a brief silence when he left, Ava walked over to the bucket by Ed to wring out her dirty rag.

"Brother?" Al Spoke.

"Hm?" Ed looked up.

"They're back, all the memories of when my body was taken away. I remember." He confessed.

Ava spun around quickly, mouth agape, "No way kid!" she blurted with a happy disbelief.

"What'd you see?" Ed asked quickly.

"Well it was pretty weird, but unfortunately I didn't find out anything about how to get our bodies back." Al said with some disappointment.

"Well that's okay," Ed smiled. "Let's get you back together." He hauled over the breastplate he was wiping down and Al snapped it back into place.

"Well I guess we haven't made any progress." Al sighed.

"No, that's not entirely true; you remember what the Fuhrer told us back in central, about the unrest amongst the ranks of the military?" Ed asked.

Al nodded, "It all had something to do with the philosopher's stone and those ouroboros guys he said he was trying to gather info on them."

Ava looked to the boys, feeling a little left out. "Ouroboros?"

"That tattoo on Greed's hand," Al answered, "Brother met others with it." Ava nodded.

"Greed was obviously connected to them somehow, but if so, why did the Fuhrer slaughter everyone?" Ed stared at the wall, eyeing all the cracks, "If he was trying to figure out what they were up to, why didn't he catch them and make them talk?"

"Yeah it also seems a little weird that the Fuhrer himself would lead an attack against such a small group" Al added

"Uh, hey guys," Ava piped up, she had been watching he conversation go back and forth thoughtfully. "How high to you think this 'unrest' goes?" Ava had been piecing some things together in her head.

"I can't be sure." Ed shrugged and looked at her. "We've been warned, but we need to get closer."

Ava gave him a thumbs up. "You know I'm in."

Ed smiled, "Your crazy, but were glad to have you. Let's get in and grab something to eat." Al stood, automatically ready to follow his brother wherever.

"You guys go ahead in, I'm gonna' hang here for a minute." Ava smiled reassuringly when Ed raised a brow at her.

"Are you sure?" Al asked

"Yeah, don't worry, just mulling some things over." She stretched her tired shoulders.

"Suit yourself." Ed shrugged and they walked around to the front of the building.

Ava sat on the steps by the back door; she hugged her legs and rested her head on her knees. Her body ached and her mind was equally as exhausted. She looked down at her hands, which were still shaking. He knuckles where bruised and swollen and blood caked around her fingernails. She tried to rub it away but it made no difference.

A wild mix of emotions coursed through her. Some she wasn't sure if she's ever felt before. Today marked the first time she ever had to fight for her life. The first time mistakes could very easily be, and had almost been, fatal.

She tried closing her eyes to relax but her mind still raced. She couldn't help but feel a little ashamed that she was taking things harshly. Ed and Al bounced back like it was nothing. Those boys are a force to be reckoned with. She was completely drained from earlier.

"I have got to get it together." She said aloud to no one but herself. Maybe some good meditation would calm her nerves. Ava relaxed her muscles and reduced her breathing to a slow and deliberate rhythm. She felt the pulsing warmth of the life force within her, swirling around her body, and it was comforting. She felt at-one soon enough and drifted into a shallow but peaceful sleep.

"Ava?" A small voice pulled her from her rest. Her eyes snapped open, Al stood in front of her holding out her jacket. "It's getting a little chilly; at least I think it is, you might want this."

She yawned and took it, gratefully draping it over her shoulders. "Thanks Al," She scooted over and patted the spot next to her. "Wanna' have a seat?" She smiled.

"Sure, sorry if I woke you," He sat down. "you looked so peaceful."

"I was." She shrugged matter-of-factly.

"I'm really so-." Al stared to apologize again.

"No, Al, it's alright." She patted his leg. "I'm just having a human moment, the ones that humble you; I was just thinking on things, you know what I mean?"

Al paused and looked at his hands, his vessel, he seemed disappointed. "I guess..."

Ava looked at him sadly for a moment but covered it quickly. She took his hands in hers. "Have you been working on harnessing your chi?" she said like a teacher scolding her student for not doing their homework.

"Um, I tried but I don't think that I'm doing it right." Ava turned his hands over, palms up and put her hands on his palms down. She closed her eyes thoughtfully. "What are you doing?" He asked curiously.

"I'm getting to know you." She felt his energy, it was so unique. Perhaps because all the extra commotion you'd normally have to sift through with a flesh and blood body was gone. It was strong but not bold, honest and innocent. It was a lot of things, including sadness, something that she read at his center. Something he thought on a lot, but never expressed. Ava was still and quiet.

"Alphonse," she took her hands away and grinned at him. "Are you ready for a quick one on one lesson?"

"Yes, absolutely!" He straightened up happily.

"Okay, it's going to be a little difficult for you but you can't baby out on me, okay?" She teased.

"You got it." He nodded.

"Bring to mind the happiest memories you can and relax. Think on those memories; bring them as close to real again in your head as you can, to the point that you see them and not this world. Put your hands on your knees when you're there." Al said nothing but became very silent. She could feel tension within him unwinding. She watched him intently. His hands slowly moved to his knees. She spoke again, but much softer, "Al, you're doing really well. Now, focus on just one memory, okay?"

Ava rose up slowly and stood in front of him, moving as quietly as she could so she didn't bring him out of it. "Now, play it over, from the beginning, remember all the things you felt, heard, smelled, did. When it's over, let it fade, let it go, but don't change your state of mind. Feel how far away you seem? Stay there. Separate from this time, but as much a part of it as all other parts of your life before. This is you, Al, this is your mind's eye and when you access it you have the ability to reach a completely peaceful place. You can rest here." She waved a hand in front of his eyes; he didn't acknowledge it at all.

Ava let about five minutes or so pass. "Al?" She said quietly, "Hey, Alphonse," She took a step closer "Al…" She said with a little more volume.

He finally stirred and lifted his head meeting her gaze. "Ava," He sounded astonished "That was, that was…"

"The best medicine for a tired soul." She said smiling, proud of herself; proud of Al.

_**Please, tell me what you think of the story so far. Thank you all for reading!**_

_**Peace!**_

**~NDG**


	9. What A Hobo

_**Dont own FMA stuffs, just my OC's!**_

_Alright guys, this has been a little delayed. But working two jobs sucks! I have **crap** for free time!  
_

_But it's super fun writing these so do not fret, there will always be more :)_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

**State of flux**

**Chapter 9**

Ava woke early the next morning, removed all the blood and grime from her clothes, packed what little she had and waited for Edward to stir. She and Alphonse sat in the kitchen talking over breakfast while Izumi and Sig worked to get the meat butchered for the day

"Ya' know Al, It's kinda funny." Ava said before a bite of eggs.

"What's funny?" Al cocked his head.

"I finally get out of Rush Valley and now where heading right back." She stabbed another forkful.

"I guess, maybe, but brother's arm is pretty ruined and Winry is the best mechanic we know." Al sat forward, "Wait, can't you fix it?"

She almost spat out her food. "I wish! That automail is really something; I couldn't _touch_ that sort of engineering. I mean sure I can do simple repairs, but I guess what I'm trying to say, is don't mess with perfection. Also, say that I do fix it, if something goes wrong with the arm and Ed gets hurt because of it I'd feel like absolute crap. I'm not shouldering that kind of responsibility, the way he throws the damn thing around."

Al laughed, "I see what you mean."

"Hey, would you guys stop talking about me behind my back?" Ed said groggily from the doorway.

"Well, other than the way you use your arm like a battering ram, nothing bad was said about you." Ava smiled toothily. "Promise."

Ed scooped some food on a plate, sat down at the table and went to work on it. "So, Ava," Ed said through a mouthful, "You gonna' be a state alchemist like me?"

"Oh jeez, are you talking about what King Bradley said to me last night?" She looked at him flatly.

"Oh, that's right; I can't believe you were asked something like that buy the Fuhrer himself." Al said remembering their run in with him.

"He tried recruiting teacher too, she told me last night." Ed was clearing off the last few bites.

"What does this guy want out of us, damn." Ava stood to put her plate in the sink.

"I don't know, but it is kind of strange." Ed stood with his dish and followed her.

"I'm not a fan of that guy, Ed. I know he's like your top boss and all, but something just sends up a big red flag in my gut." Ava said quietly to him, took his plate and washed it after hers.

"I know, I feel like that too." He said lowly and checked the clock. "I should get my things together, we have to leave soon."

* * *

The train ride went smoothly, talk was lighthearted and easy. Time went quickly, they pulled into the station before they knew it.

"Man, Winry is going to kill me." Ed said as they walked off the platform.

"You can say that again." Al laughed.

"I know I'd kill 'ya. Your automail is pretty unique. No easy fixes with that equipment." Ava smiled teasingly at him. "Hey do you mind if I go pop in on Roger? I'll meet you at Garfiels a little later."

Ed shrugged, "Yeah I guess that's fine."

"Hey Ava, think I could come with you?" Al asked nervously, "I think it's best to go see Winry when she's all cooled down."

"Jeez Al, thanks for leaving me all by myself." Ed sneered.

"Sorry Ed, some battles are better fought alone." Ava laughed grabbing Al's hand and heading off.

Ava led Al up the familiar streets of Rush Valley toward Big Rogers Automail Shop. "I can't believe I've only been gone a few days." Ava kicked a rock.

"A lot has happened, hasn't it?" Al said thoughtfully.

"Yes it has, you guys have a lot of adversity to face, don't you?" Ava looked up at him.

Al nodded. "We do, but we're prepared. Getting our bodies back isn't going to be easy, why should we expect the journey to be any different?"

"Well, you and Ed need to set some serious time aside to study my material. I saw a glimpse of what you guys are up against. Homunculi, chimeras, it's like something out of a horror story, but I've fought both." She turned them down another street. "I've seen everyone get hurt, myself included. There might be a time when alkahestry might really come in handy for Ed." She said seriously. "Anyway, here we are!"

Al and Ava looked up at the shop. It was dark inside. "Where's Rog?" Ava rubbed her side unconsciously; the walking had irritated her wound.

"Looks like no one is in," Al peeked in the window. "Is there someplace else he would be?"

"Not that I know of," Ava peeked in too. "yeah, nothing. Oh well, maybe he had to step out for a little while?" Weird. She couldn't help but feel a little worried but she tried to think logically and let that calm her. He's probably gone to pick something up from the smith, maybe he's out to eat. Normally she'd watch the shop when he was gone, but it wasn't like that anymore.

"Guess we'll just meet up with Brother and Winry then?" Al shrugged.

"Yeah, I'll come back later, he always works late I'm sure I'll catch him tonight." They turned away from the shop and headed back the way they came.

* * *

"Hey! Brother!" Al yelled as they approached Garfiels shop, Ed was standing out front.

"Al! Ava!" Ed waved as they jogged over to him.

"So how'd it go?" Ava asked looking over Ed's arm.

"Just as expected, she threatened my life a few times, but patched me up anyway." The three started walking down the street together. "What did Roger say?"

"He wasn't home, I'm going to stop by again later." She answered.

"I'd say you got off easy brother." Al chuckled.

"Well either way, we should be outta here by morning." Ed smiled and gave Ava a thumbs up.

"Holy hell, you don't stay in one place! Are we at least heading to central?" Ava asked a little excitedly.

"Yeah," He raised an eyebrow. "Looking forward to that or something?"

"Little bit, I've never really been there. Always avoided those trains when I used to hop, didn't seem like the place for me." She slid her hands into her jacket pockets.

"'Hop'? Hop what?" Ed looked at her quizzically.

She laughed. "Guess I haven't really talked about it before. Trains, I used to hop trains. Guess you could say I used to be a vagrant."

"Like a hobo?" Al seemed surprised.

"No, not like a hobo!" She smacked his armored arm, it thrummed. "I traveled, think of it as soul searching." The boys still looked at her like she had two heads. "After Eleanor died and I found my old home, I had some issues with self, so I left the town and decided that I'd start my life over."

"That must have been hard." Ed said thoughtfully.

"At first, defiantly, but then after a while, I just felt so free. The whole world was my home, I had everything and nothing to live for. It's hard to explain it." She thought for a moment. "The things that knock me down to my lowest are what really make me feel alive." Ava ducked into a small juice bar, Ed followed.

"You were totally a hobo." Ed snickered under his breath.

"I heard that." Ava glared. Ava placed her order and dropped a few coins on the counter. Ed ordered and they walked back out into the street.

"Hey, where did Al go?" She looked down the street. Ed tugged her shirt and pointed into an alley.

"What now, did you find another stray cat or something?" Ed asked flatly, he and Ava walked over to where Al crouched.

"Well…no." Al turned and held up a person, yellow shirt and white pants, he was totally limp. Ed spat his drink out and Ava coughed on hers laughing.

"Food…" The boy Al was holding groaned.

"Maybe we should get the guy to a diner?" Ava was still chuckling little.

They dragged the strange boy to a little restaurant down the street and ordered him something small. Before they could blink the boy had inhaled what was on the plate and ordered a mountain of other things, dishes slowly consumed the table. Ava and Ed sat across from him with perplexed expressions plastered on their faces.

"Woohoo! I feel so much better!" The boy rubbed his stomach, relieved. "You guys are life savers, thanks a lot! Your treat right?" He smiled, his eyes didn't really open.

"Are you serious?" Ava looked at the mountain of plates.

"When did I say I was paying?" Ed glared.

The boy waved a hand in front of him, "No need to quibble over something so small." He grinned.

"Who are you calling small!" Ed exploded.

"How lucky I am to have found such hospitality, so far from home." The boy turned and wiped an imaginary tear from his cheek.

"Far from home?" Al questioned

"So where are you from gutter boy?" Ava asked.

"I'm from Xing!" He smiled at her.

"No way! That's incredible!" Ava got really excited; she had read a lot about Xing from her father's travel and research journals. "How'd you cross the desert, and all alone at that?"

"Well it was rough but I wanted to visit the ruins of Xerxes." Ava leaned in practically ogling.

"You've been to Xerxes!" She almost died, "what was it like!"

"Well," he thought for a moment. "It was really hot." He said with a finger on his chin.

"Not the weather! The city!" Ava face palmed.

"I heard there was next to nothing out there." Ed chimed.

"I wanted to see for myself." The boy shrugged, "Anyway, I was headed here to do some research on alkahestry"

"Alkahestry?" Al said surprised then looked to Ava.

"Yes, in your country it's called Alchemy. Back in Xing-" Ava cut him off.

"Don't worry they know." She placed her hands on the table and looked the boy right in his eyes. "We must compare field notes!"

"Well, pretty lady, I'm sorry but I'm not actually an alkahestrist." He held his hand up in apology. Ava fell off of the bench, crushed. "I was wondering, what use you have for alchemy here."

"Well, whereas in your country its use is medical. Here it's primarily military." Ed rested his head on folded hands. "It's not hard to see why. Even now we still have skirmishes at the border of Aerugo to the south and Creta to the west. North of us is the huge country Drachma, we had a tentative non-aggression pact with them and Briggs mountain stands between us making invasion difficult. Our relationship is still dicey at best."

"Sounds like you guys really have your hands full." The boy pondered.

"Things started moving toward the militaristic when the current Furher King Bradley first came into power." Ed stated.

"Hey, by any chance are you three alchemists?" The boy asked seriously.

Ed perked at this, "We are actually, I'm Edward Elric, a state alchemist."

"I'm his younger brother Alphonse Elric." Al bowed his head a little.

"Ava Ellistone, nice to meet you." She smiled.

"My names Ling Yao," He stood up and held out his hand. "It's a pleasure." They all stood, put their hand in and shook.

"So ling, what kind of business does a non-practicing alkahestrist have in learning about alchemy?" Ed asked intrigued.

"Well, see I'm looking for something. It's possible you have heard of it before. "The philosopher's stone." He stared intently at the three waiting to weigh their responses. "I'm very eager to find it; do you know anything about it?"

It became abruptly quiet, "No, sorry, we can't help you." Ed said shortly. He looked to Ava who nodded and they both turned to walk away; Al followed. Silly, how simple things like that can really turn you off to a person.

"You wouldn't be lying to me, would you?" Ling asked smoothly.

Ava heard what sounded like the snapping of fingers, then a rush of wind behind her and the familiar feeling of steel against her neck. A dark masked figure stood behind her and Ed with two small daggers, Ava recognized them as kunai, poised at their throats. Another held a sword up to a chink in Al's armor.

"So, do you have something to tell me?" Ling cooed.

"Why the interest in the philosopher's stone?" Ed sneered.

"I want to achieve, Immortality." Ava could hear the eerie smile in Ling's voice.

Ed looked Ava in the eyes, to the dagger at her throat and back. He was going to bust away from the wielder but she had to do so at the same time. She understood his wordless command.

"Signal." She mouthed soundlessly. Ed winked and she prepared herself.

"Out with it what do you know?" She could see Ling stand out of the corner of her eye.

"Sorry bud. But that's absolute junk, really, immortality?" Ava was getting tired of this exchange.

"Yeah, and I don't really care for your way of asking questions. Seems a little rude," Ed looked to Ava, "Don't you think?" He winked. They burst into action. Ed smacked the blade away with his automail hand and launched a punch to the guys face. Ava grabbed the hand that held the blade to her neck twisted and the kunai dropped. She caught it before it hit the ground spun and took up a defensive stance. Al jumped to action too.

Before Ed's punch landed the attacker leaped into the air dropping a kick onto Ed's shoulder. As they descended Ava leaped up and grabbed ahold of the front of the guys dark robe throwing him to the ground, but he recovered before impact and kicked straight up toward Ava's jaw, she flipped backwards to avoid the blow. In doing so she flew back into Ed and they skidded across the ground. Al crashed down next to them moments later.

"Sorry Ed!" She called rolling off of him.

"What the hell was that?" Ed asked from his face down position in the dirt. Ava sat up pulling Ed with her. Here we go again, another brawl. Her healing wound ached from the movements of battle.

"Must be a Xingese fighting style." Al concluded getting to his feet.

"You bet your ass it is. They are gonna' be hard to beat." Ava blew some bangs from her eyes and readied herself. She brought her hands in front of her, fingertips touching, pointing upwards. She started to gather he chi.

"Either way," Ed brought his fists up.

"They're still not as strong as teacher." They boys said in unison and ran at the two body guards.

Ava took a deep breath, she could feel the invigorating energy filling her, rippling through her muscles. "Ed! Al!" The looked back at her at the last moment, "Move!" She shouted smacking her hands to the ground. Energy ripped through the earth and she guided it toward their enemies. She could feel the confusion in their footsteps. Her friends where obedient enough and jumped out of the way before the ground in front of the two masked attackers violently burst into a plume of rocks and dust.

The two leaped apart, Al pursued one whist Ed and Ava pursued the other. They chased the guy over buildings and eventually found themselves in an industrial center on the outskirts of the town where large monstrous pipes curved down the side a giant warehouse. Ava and Ed stopped at the top of the steel cliff face and watched the bodyguard gracefully jump down to the lower platform. Ed followed sliding down one of the huge pipes, transmuting a metal staff out of one as he went down. Ava still had the kunai she had taken earlier she pulled it out jumped down and threw it at the attacker who was exchanging blows with Ed below. It landed next to their foot Ava placed her hands down as she landed, the blade sparked and bent over the guys foot trapping them to the steel. She quickly ran to join Edward, it seemed every attack he sent was blocked, he couldn't seem to make contact to matter what he did.

"I can't get a hand on this guy!" He was clearly frustrated he jumped back a few feet as the man wriggled free of the restraint.

"Leave it to me." She placed her hands on the pipe they stood on, it groaned and detached at a joint where the masked man stood, it curved up and he was sent sliding down nearly face to face with her. He dodged a quick right hook, flipped and landed just behind Ava. She kicked back and the guy ducked just in the nick of time.

"You see what I mean?" Ed bounded to her side.

"Really, your arm is worse now?" Ava almost laughed whatever efforts Winry had put into patching it up earlier, where all in vain.

"Not the time to lecture me!" Ed grumbled.

"Sorry. Ed! Watch your six!" She called and he turned just in time, to block a slash of the man's dagger with his arm. There was an audible sound of more damage to the limb.

"You ready for that lecture yet?" Ava teased, she vaulted over Ed and kicked toward the attacker, who promptly dodged and created some distance between them.

"Damn, you're persistent. Picking a fight like this just because we wouldn't give you information, what are you guys after? You and your boss with those freaky closed eyes." Ed held his arm.

What Ed said really seemed to start a fire in the masked man's eyes. He charged angrily, a blow aimed toward Ed's eyes, but it was sloppy, leaving him incredibly exposed. Ava hurriedly kicked at the guy, colliding nicely with the side of his head. It knocked him off to the side a little but not before planting a food in Ed's face, which was meant for Ava who was able to escape the path of attack.

Ed smacked into the pipes and slid down, complaining about the pain, before a sly grin played across his face. "Ava, did you see that? That was our ticket to win."

"Hell yeah I did, keep it coming Ed!" She went full force in exchanging blows with the masked man, soon Ed joined them.

"If this is the best his flunkies can manage, that bastard Ling must be pretty pathetic too!" Ed yelled sending the attacker into a rage again. He went straight for Ed. Who was ready, he met the attacker with an elbow in the rib cage; you could hear the whoosh of air escaping from his lungs. "Now!" Ed put his hands together, "It's about time for me to have a look at your face!" Ed planted his palm on the guys mask and it erupted into a bunch of little pieces.

"What? You're a girl!" Ed gawked, Ava almost fell over in surprise. But this left Ed and Ava horribly off guard, and the _girl_ threw her kunai into Ed's already battered arm and it buckled. Before they knew it she tore the pin out of a grenade and tossed it into the air between them.

"Ed! Get out of there!" Ava tore the knife from her ankle and threw it at the live explosive, hoping to knock it away from Ed. It connected, but when off moments later. She was able to throw up a wall of steel to shield her using alchemy, but the blast left her ears ringing and the dust left her damn near blind.

She peeked out from behind her wall, in time to see the girl pulling at Ed's automail arm which stuck up from a pile of rubble. But when she did, it sprung a trap and she was hoisted up in the air on a wire that was now subsequently looped around her arms and torso, she dangles helplessly.

"Good job Ed!" Ava called when she watched him emerge from the rubble, picking up his now detached arm, Ava ran to join him.

The girl swung lightly, stammering at first. "But how? You removed your own arm!"

"I spent a fair amount of time hunting rabbits when I was a little kid. Setting a trap for you was easy." He rested his arm on his shoulder.

Ava heard some footsteps approaching from behind, "He look," She pointed as Al jogged up, the other bodyguard, _an old man_, tied up and flung over his shoulder, Paninya followed closely behind.

"Brother! Ava!" He called.

"Alphonse! Hey Paninya!" Ava called back smiling. "How di-"

"Okay! Good work guys!" Ling popped up cheerily.

"Hey! You seem way too happy for a guy that just got his pawns beat." Ava tossed a rock at him.

"You guys have some pretty impressive skills! I know," he put a finger to his chin "Come work for me and together well take over this country."

"You're too confident for a spoiled brat!" Ava sneered, walking to join up with Al and Paninya. Ed ran ahead of her yelling and flailing into Lings face.

"I've had enough of your idiotic chattering just go back to Xing!" Ed yelled wildly.

"Look there they are!"

They all turned to see where the voice came from.

"Oh no." Ava went blue. Half the city was staring at the lot of them and they didn't look happy.

"Look at the mess you've made! You've destroyed half of our town!" On man in the front yelled.

"You're covering the damages." A burley man said glaring with his arms crossed.

"And your restaurant bill too!" The guy at the diner they had taken Ling to waved a huge bill in front of him.

"Wait-jus- just hold on a second!" Ed stumbled back holding up his arms in disbelief. "This guy and his little entourage should be paying for everything!" He motioned to Ling.

The stared all turned to look at the strange boy. "So sorry I don't understand much language from this country, okay? Bye bye now!" Ling slinked away quickly.

"What the hell, you jerk!" Ava yelled after him.

"Get back here!" Ed screamed.

"Ah! The girl, she's gone, dammit!" Ava looked to the empty snare.

"So is he!" Al motioned to where the old man was tied up moments before.

"Ugh, how am I supposed to fix this place up with one arm?" Ed was frustrated.

"Don't worry, I'll get to it." Ava sighed placing her hands together.

"Yeah brother, just leave it to us." Al did the same. Ava was a bit surprised, al doesn't need a circle anymore? Ed must have been thinking the same thing.

"So you can to alchemy without a transmutation circle?" Ed looked up at his brother.

"Yeah," Al said matter-of-factly, "I think it's because of the memories I recovered. Ed's face dropped, he seemed a little jealous.

"Ha Ha! Not so special anymore huh? Mr. Fullmetal!" Ava laughed and smacked his back.

"What the hell!" He spat.

"Hey, now, don't get short with me." She scolded.

"I'm not short dammit! Everybody else is just too tall!" Ed flailed.

"Yeah, yeah," she snickered, "Just move before I make you part of the landscape." She placed her hands to the ground. She and Al started fixing up the damage the fight had caused Rush Valley.

* * *

_Thank you all for reading! Please review, I love hearing what you all have to saw, it's pretty cool._

_Until next time!_

**~NDG**


	10. Those Who Remembered

**_dont own fma stuffs jusy my OC's_**

_Kay, so I'm super sorry its been forever. You can whip out your torches and pitchforks if you want :)  
Thank you all for bearing with me, you're awesome!  
_

**State of Flux**

**Chapter 10**

When Ava and Al had finally managed to return Rush valley back to its original state, they met up with Ed and headed back to Garfeils shop to see Winry. Al seemed convinced that Ed wasn't going to see the light of another day.

Ava, exhausted, trudged into the shop first, hands shoved into the pockets of her jacket, dragging her feet as she walked in. "Man, my get up and go has gone up and left." She yawned.

"Please, if you think today was hard, you've got another thing coming." Ed smiled coyly at her, his detached and pretty much destroyed automail arm slung over his shoulder.

"Hey, if you want to keep your ticket to learning alkahestry around, you gotta' stop saying things like that. The way this crazy battle and cryptic conspiracy laden trip has been so far, you're lucky I haven't run for the hills yet!" She joked and snapped a wink at him.

"Hello we meet again!" All three of their heads turned and furious expressions possessed Ed and Ava's faces, Al seemed genuinely shocked. Ling sat comfortably sipping tea across from Garfeil, offering a smile and a little wave in greeting.

Ed must have moved at the speed of light, before Ava could blink he had closed the distance and whacked Ling over his head with his busted metal arm. "What's your sorry butt doin' here!" Ling fell off the chair and thudded to the floor.

"I'd really hoped we'd never see this guy again." Ava grumbled, Al patted her back with all the gentleness one would use when handling an unstable bomb.

Ling laughed nervously; "Now, now, we're all friends here, right?" he pulled himself back up.

"That's how you treat your friends? By sicking your dogs on them? Those two didn't go easy." Ed glared daggers at the boy.

"Let it go," Ling smiled back, "I promise I'll give them a talking to later.

Before Ed had a moment to retaliate Ava calmed her boiling temper and asked as calmly as she could, "So who really are those two anyway? Why in the world are they with you?"

"The girl's name in Lan Fan, the old man is called Fu. Their family had served mine for generations. They're quite good at what they do." Ling explained.

"Oh, so you shake down strangers for food, yet you can somehow afford two personal attendants?" Ed wasn't buying it.

"Well," Ling said shrugging, "I am the emperor's son after all."

Ava put her hands on her hips and cocked her head, "There's a twist."

Ed and Al exchanged a startled look, "Well, that makes you… A prince?!" They completely and utterly lost it, fell to the floor giggling. Ava did her best to keep it together but was laughing too, despite her efforts.

Ling stared at the brothers perplexed, "Not the reaction I anticipated."

"Sorry!" Al turned and through the giggles tried his best to be apologetic. "We just didn't see that coming!"

"Yeah, the guy who collapsed on the side of the road and mooched food off of us is the son of an emperor." Ed added before a dagger lodged itself into the wall right beside his head. He and Al stopped laughing all together and stared at it terrified, Ava just laughed harder from the look on their faces.

"You will not speak badly about master Ling." Lan Fan peeked up from under the window fuming.

"Great to see you." Ed muttered.

"No your probably right, it's not actually that big of a deal." Ling chimed. "It's like this, the country of Xing is broken up between 50 different clans."

"Oh, oh, oh a history lesson!" Ava pulled out a chair and sat happily, ready for this story.

"With an emperor at the top reining over all of them," Ling continued. "The daughter of each clan's chief becomes one of the emperor's wives and bears his children." He crossed his arms. "The current emperor has 19 daughters and 24 sons. I come in at number 12 in that lineup."

"Oh holy hell." Ava leaned back, streatching her arms above her head and looking to her friends. "Ed, al, the way you two bicker, I could not imagine having to put up with 40 more of your brothers and sisters. I would shoot myself."

Ed glared. "Thanks."

"The issue of succession must be a tricky one." Al commented, clearly ignoring Ava's comment.

"Indeed it is." Ling held up a finger. "That's the problem were facing right now. The emperors health has begun to deteriorate recently. Each clan is doing is doing everything they can to curry favor." Ling smiled "And I'm no exception."

"You wanna' up your chances by discovering the secret of immortality." Ed gathered.

"Exactly! Now, the philosopher's stone, what information can you offer?" Ling asked cheerily.

"Not this again." Ava rested her head on the table top.

"Not happenin'" Ed turned up his nose. "The stone isn't a tool for some political gain."

Ling moaned unhappily and jumped from his seat, wrapping his arms around Ed "Then I'll have to stay with you until you tell me!" He whined.

Ed was obviously not pleased with the unwanted contact, "Oh no you don't!" He smacked Ling over and over with his busted prosthetic. "Get offa' me you-"

"I'm back!" A happy female voice called.

Ava lifted her head and looked at the door. "Hey Winry!" She waved.

"Hiya Ava! Do you guys see that? There was some kind of fight on main street." Winry smiled then turned to Ed, who was frozen with fear with his mangled steel arm hovering over Lings head. Her happy composure decayed into fury. "What did you do to my arm!" She raged, throwing a heavy wrench at Ed's head. It knocked him back flat on his butt.

* * *

Winry tinkered with the automail arm, and ava worked on stripping some of the wiring that remained dangling from the remaining metal stub connected to Ed's shoulder, so it would be quick and easy to reconnect Winry's final product when she was finished.

"Wow Ava, I didn't know you where an engineer too!" Winry smiled fiddling with some gears.

"I'm hardly an engineer; just an apprentice and I haven't been doing It for very long. Just a few years." Ava twisted some of the frayed ends. "Most of the time my nose was stuck into some book about alchemy or alkahestry, anything really."

"Either way, it's cool to meet another girl with an interest in automail too!" She grinned at Ava then turned her attention to Ed. "So where are you head off to break your automail next?"

"You just assume I'll break it?" He muttered, defeated.

"Can you blame her?" Ava looked up at him and raised a brow, a little coy smile on her face.

Ed frowned then shrugged, "Guess I really can't"

"We were thinking about doing some digging in central." Al answered.

Winry whirled around excitedly "You guys are going back to central? I wanna' come too, take my with you!" She pleaded.

"Yes! Ed, you have _got_ to let her come, I need someone to talk to that's not such a hothead." Ava tugged at his shirt.

"What do you wanna' go there for?" Ed asked trying to push Ava away.

"I wanted to see the Hughes family again." Winry clasped her hands together.

"But don't you have a lot of work to do here?" Al reasoned.

"It's okay if you want to go Winry you should take a break everyone and a while." Garfeil reassured her

"Oh really? Thanks so much Mr. Garlfeil!" Winry was glowing with excitement.

"Alright! She's in! I've got some questions for this Hughes guy, well go straight to him when we get there." Ava pumped a fist into the air.

"Well I've got to work extra hard then, so I can get this finished by tomorrow." Winry turned and when back to diligently working on Ed's arm.

Ava capped the last remaining wire and looked over her work one last time, "Yup, good as it's gonna' get for now, the rest is up to Winry."

"Not half bad," Ed looked it over. Ava stood and grabbed her pack from where it sat in the corner. "Where are you going?" Ed stood stretching.

"I'm headed over to see if Roger is at the shop." She started heading for the door.

"Hey, wait up, I'll come with you." Ed followed, then looked at Al.

"Go ahead, I've had enough adventure for one day." Alphonse waived his brother on.

Ava and Ed headed out to the street. The sun was setting, the sky was all sorts of red's and oranges, it was very pretty actually. But with every step some little part of her in the back of her head was worrying about Roger. It was so unusual that he wouldn't be in.

* * *

When she and Ed approached the shop, she could already tell that there was no one inside. No lights on, no open sign, no Roger.

"Man, what the hell?" She peered into the window like earlier, as if it would shed some light on anything.

"Where else would he be?" Ed eyed the dark storefront with his hands on his hips.

"Dunno, at home maybe? He's normally here though." She placed her hands on the door knob, transmuting the lock into a simple lever mechanism, so she wouldn't need the key to open it.

She opened the door slowly. "Hello?" She called into the silence.

She walked in followed by Ed, "Maybe he's just in the back?"

"Good thinkin' Ed," she pointed to the storeroom. "Can you check in there, I'm going to look upstairs?"

Ava ran up the steps quickly, opening the door to her little home. "Nothing, Damn…ow!" Her side flushed with pain from the exertion. She held it tightly and walked around scanning the room for anything out of the ordinary, she picked a book off of her shelf. She heard Ed coming up and looked to the door. When he entered he shook his head.

"Weird, not even a note." Ed shrugged then noticed her obvious pain. "Are you doing alright?"

"Just really sore," She sat the book back on the shelf and pulled her shirt up enough to see the wounds progress. It looked really ugly. It was still closed thankfully, but she could see the bruising under the skin, from the actual slash a good inch or so around it was a deep bluish purple.

"Should you go see a doctor?" Ed hurried to her.

"No, it's fine, things like this always look their worst before they get better." She sat down on her sofa Ed sat across from her on her bed. She was quiet for a little bit. _You best be visiting family or something Rog._

"Al was really excited about what you showed him last night." Ed said softly, sensing her worry.

"Oh, he was?" She laughed a little, looking at the ground "I'm glad I could give him some solace."

"He was kind of upset that you got hurt looking for him." He motioned to her side.

"Well he better not be blaming himself." She warned flatly. "I'm fighting because I want to. Because there are things I need to accomplish. Just like you two."

Ed thought for a moment "What _are_ you trying to accomplish?"

"My father's research is far more extensive than what I have here. There is a whole room filled with his academic collection in my old home. In the later recollections he starts to mention ways in how he believes you can break the equivalence system. Where you can give less and receive more. Or if there's a point where you give enough, you can receive forever." She looked down at her hands. "There are parts on the philosopher's stone and human transmutation. I think he really found something out. Something serious that made him completely mad. I only know what I do from reading his journals. When you read them it's almost like watching someone slowly go insane. In the beginning it's all for knowledge, then it turns into something more, darker. It's eerie, I wonder if maybe one day I'll turn into someone like that too."

"I don't think you could ever be someone like him, Ava, you're not like that at all." Ed said in a scolding tone.

She breathed deep and sighed. "I hope your right." She ran a hand through her bangs, "Ed I have a favor to ask of you."

Ed seemed a little taken off guard. "Yeah? What do you need?"

"As a state alchemist, you have the access to information otherwise classified to civilians." She looked at him intensely.

He stared back and sat up a little straighter. "Ava, what are you getting at?" His eyes narrowed.

"My father served as a mediator between the Ishvalens and Amestris military before the war. I have a gut feeling that he was a little more involved with the military than certain records depict. I want to know what's in his file in central." She needed information, always searched for more information.

"I'll see what I can do." Ed rose to his feet and stood in front of her. "Just be careful Ava, some things are better off not knowing."

"Thank you Ed." She looked to her lap. It was calling her again, that feeling, screaming from the dark corners of her mind, soaking into the cavity in her chest and filling her with nothingness. She felt like she wasn't real. Like she could lift right out of her mind and let the body she was in just wither. Her hands trembled and she grit her teeth together. This internal darkness was the worst emotional poison. She closed her eyes to battle the writhing in her head.

"Ava, are you alright? I'm sure Roger is fine." She heard Ed say and a hand gripped her shoulder.

"I'm okay." She whispered shakily. "Let's get going, I'm sure their wondering where we are by now." She shook her head, trying to shake the feeling, but it didn't really help. "I just need to leave a note for Roger."

"Sure, I'll meet you outside." He started walking down the stairs, "If there's anything else you think you'll need I'd get it now, who knows when we'll be back this way." She nodded and started scribbling on a piece of paper.

* * *

"Ugh, again with the trains!" Ava said flatly as she boarded the morning train to central, followed by her friends. She took to a seat and slid over by the window, Ed sat next to her and Winry squeezed in by al on the adjacent bench.

Though they didn't board the train, Ava was aware of Lan Fan, Fu, and ling nearby. There were indeed fallowing them to central. _Damn._

"Didn't you say you used to ride trains all the time?" Ed asked.

"Yeah, but it's completely different when you're riding in an open boxcar, watching the landscape go by, taking in the sunset. Not to mention, trying to run from the security when the train finally pulls into whatever station it's headed to." She smiled in remembrance.

"Sounds like a hoot?" Ed raised an eyebrow at her.

"Best time of my life! So far at least." She pulled off her jacket and tucked it between her head and the window. She nestled herself in the corner comfortably.

"You should tell us about some of those adventures you must have had." Winry piped, Al nodded in agreement.

"Well, I dunno where to begin." She looked down trying to think of a good place to start.

"From the beginning?" Ed put his hands behind his head and leaned back.

Ava sighed, "That's a story for a different time and place." She got quiet.

Al noticed her discomfort with whatever memory that brought up, "That's alright! Hey brother," Al changed the subject and they all took part in another conversation. She was grateful, it wasn't a happy beginning, and she didn't want to spoil the day with grave tales of the past.

The ride was long and exhausting, Ava hopped down to the platform stretching out her legs, they felt all wobbly from sitting for so long. Ed and Winry tried to work out their kinks too.

"I'm beat!" Ed said through a yawn.

"Being spied on for hours will do that to you," At looked up at Fu and Lan Fan who were perched atop the train.

"Hey, where's the young lord?" Fu asked, concerned. The four looked around the station and saw no immediate sign of him.

"He's not here." Al answered.

"Maybe he ran off again." Winry said with a finger to her chin.

"He probably got a whiff of some food." Ava adjusted her back pack.

The two body guards where clearly upset by this. They lowered their heads and sulked for a moment. "Good grief I can't take my eyes off him for a second." Fu grumbled, then they both took off in either direction, franticly calling for Ling.

"What a relief! Let's go," Ed started to walk away.

They walked out of the station and out into the heart of central city. Ava felt to out of place. Huge buildings, tons of people, seemed like every fifth person was in uniform. The shaky weird feeling she had since she left the train never really wore off. Maybe it was just nerves about being in a new place. But that wasn't like her at all. She tried to brush the feeling off.

"Alright guess we should visit the military offices first." Ed stopped at looked back at them.

"Right." Al nodded.

"Okay! Let's go find this Hughes guy!" Ava rubbed her hands together.

"I guess I'll head straight to the Hughes's house and let them know I'm in town."

"Sounds good, we shouldn't be all that far behind you." Ed turned and Ava fallowed but Winry grabbed her arm and started dragging her off.

"Gah! What are you doing!" She tried to get her footing before she kissed the concrete.

"No way! Your comeing with me, you have to meet Miss Gracia and cute little Elicia!" She didn't lighten her grip.

Ed laughed and waved. "Well catch you up on details later!" he called after her.

Ava waved back halfheartedly then wriggled from Winry's grip and walked along side of her civilly. "So Gracia and Elicia, they must be Mr. Hughes' wife and daughter?"

"Yes, they are so nice! They gave me a place to stay last time I was here." Winry led her into the market district. Ava was overwhelmed with the amount of people around and the food and goods for sale.

"Wow, this city is so busy." She looked around, trying to keep up with the blond haired girl.

"Yeah, seems everyone is always on the go, always has something to do." She stopped at a farm stand and Ava helped her pick out some good apples.

"I guess that's a good way to occupy time." Ava said looking over a piece of fruit.

"Ed and Al never seem to stay in one place for long either, sometimes I wish they'd just kick their feet up for a week or two, so at least for a while I'd know they're not getting themselves hurt." Winry started to fill her basket.

"Hey," Ava tossed her and apple, she caught it. "Those boys are strong but they are lucky to have someone to worry about them like you do. I've seen first hand that they can take care of themselves, they're up against a lot right now, but for what their taking on, there's no better combatant than them."

"And you." Winry smiled and handed the basket to the woman working the stand and she weighed them.

"What do you mean?" Ava asked as she handed the lady a single apple, paid for it and took a big bite.

"Al told me, you were strong, like him and Ed." She headed down the street. "But you're more calculated and thoughtful, and you think with your head and fight with your heart."

Ava choked on her bite, "He sai—whaa?" She swallowed carefully.

"Yeah, in a nutshell. I'm glad they found you, you can be my eyes and ears with those two, they never tell me anything, but it seems that they already trust you enough to rely on you to help them in their decisions."

"I guess…" She took another bite of apple.

"They're like my brothers, and I don't have a lot of family left, so keep them safe. Promise?" Winry looked at her with a sad smile.

Ava smiled and squeezed the blonds shoulder, "I promise."

Eventually, Winry led her up the stairs of an apartment building and knocked on a door and waited patiently. The girls could hear the quick footsteps of a child, the knob jiggled and turned. The door opened and a small, adorable, little girl called frantically, "Daddy?" She looked so sad when she saw Winry but hugged her legs desperately.

Ava looked at Winry who looked terrifyingly confused, Ava put a hand over her mouth as a pretty woman with short light brown hair appeared in the opened door, she looked so tired and wary, but tried very hard to be level and smiled at the girls. Ava could tell that something awful has happened to this poor little family.

"Hello Winry." She said fondly, "Are you a friend of hers?"

Ava moved her hand to her side and bowed politely, "Yes, and of the Elric brothers. My name is Ava Ellistone, pleasure to meet you ma'am."

"Ava? Ava Ellistone?" Her faced was consumed with a whole different set of emotions. She rubbed her eyes and took a better look at her. "Girls, why don't you come in so we can talk."

They all walked silently and sorrowfully into the living room and took a seat. Winry and Ava sat together, little Elicia hugged Winry closely and wouldn't leave her, Gracia sat on the adjacent sofa.

"Winry, Maes was murdered while you were in Rush Valley. We tried to reach you but couldn't. I'm so sorry you didn't know until now." Gracia sat strongly, hands folded politely in her lap. But you could see how fragile she was in her eyes.

"There is nothing you need to be sorry about." Winry stroked the little girl's hair and she snuggled closer. Ava's heart was breaking for them. "But why? Why him?" Winry sobbed.

"We don't know exactly." Gracia said still keeping herself together. "Ava…" She looked toward the black haired girl with that odd expression again.

"Yes, Miss Gracia?" Ava was gripping her pants tightly, trying to keep herself from tearing up.

"Don't you remember me?" She gave a small smile.

Ava was confused, she cocked her head a little, "No, I'm so sorry, but I don't, have we met before?"

"Maes and Roland used to be friends back when we were first dating; we used to visit when you were young." Gracia kept waiting for her to remember. "Cora and I used to take you out to the pond to feed the fish?"

For Ava, hearing those names were surreal. "Roland and Cora _Ellistone_?" she was blown away.

Winry looked between the two, the little girl peeked out. "You knew her parents?"

"Yes," She seemed even more saddened "Maybe you were just too young to remember."

"No! No it's not like- I lost all my memories from before-" She wasn't sure if she should bring up the subject of people dying right now.

"The incident;" She wringed her hands, "When we heard about what happened, Maes and I tried to find you but we couldn't."

"You, tried to find me?" Ava gripped her pants even harder.

"Yes, we were going to bring you to live with us, but you were gone. Any information Maes tried to look up after was all classified. We tried, Ave we tried." She looked at her pleadingly.

"Hey, it's okay, I'm alright. I'm so touched that there were people out there who were thinking of me. That alone just does so much." She clutched the front of her shirt, her heart was so strained it felt like it was going to rip right out of her chest. "Ave?" what did she say?

"Yeah, like a nickname. Your mother and I used to laugh about it. It was shorter to say but just as long when you spelled it out." She smiled a genuine smile. "Kind of silly, isn't it?"

"No, it's nice, nice to know things like that." Ava smiled. "Miss Gracia, I came here intending to ask your late husband how it was he knew of my whereabouts. It's a little clearer now, but the method in which he knew my exact location is a mystery to me. He contacted the boys while they were in Rush Valley and told them about my being there, that they should find me."

Gracia smiled, "He was still looking for you, after all these years, he had your named flagged on any post that would run through central mail, or any sort of public data base, so that if it showed up, he would at least know you were alive. I remember him saying, not long after he met Edward and Alphonse, that if only he was able to get his hands on some of the research that Roland had done, that there might be something there that could help them, he was planning on taking a trip to your old home in the coming months. But it seems that he found the next best thing, you."

Ava was shaking. There was no way she could be angry, any questions she was ready to grill into Hughes when she found him, where just meaningless now. This man, that was looking for her and wanted to help her, was able in his last few days on this earth, to find her, and in doing so, helped Ed and Al on their quest too. She couldn't entirely grasp this whole situation yet, but she was trying.

"I ordered parts for the shop from a supplier in central about four or five days before I met the boys. Just long enough for them to be shipped and processed and for Mr. Hughes to be informed of my location, because of the return address on the box. What crazy luck that Ed and Al where in the same place that I was." Ava was rocked to the core, she looked at Winry who seemed like she was also trying her best to understand the current information, but gave her a warm reassuring look, and it helped. Ava took a deep breath just as a few light knocks rapped at the door.

Ava was slumped forward with her head in her hands, letting it all sink in. She glanced up at the door to see Ed and Al. "Ava, Winry," Ed nodded in their direction. Then he turned and spoke to Gracia, "Um, Miss Gracia, there's something I'd like to speak with you about, if I may."

"About Maes?" She asked the clearly upset boy.

"That's right, you two as well," He looked toward Ava and Winry and they met his glance with an understanding expression.

Ed and Al took a seat in the living room, Gracia took the now sleeping little girl and held her lovingly in her lap. The three listened carefully to what Edward had to say. He explained how Hughes was looking into information for them on the philosophers stone, that he must have uncovered something important, something meant to be kept secret and he was murdered, to keep that information quiet.

"So his death was a message, a warning to you to back off from all of this." Gracia stared looked down at her sleeping child.

"Yeah, we basically dragged him into it." Ed said solemnly. "I'm sorry, so sorry." Ed fought tears.

"That would be just like him," Gracia sighed. "Dying while trying to help somebody else. My husband, he always was a busy body and a meddler and it got him into trouble, a lot. But you know I don't think he ever had regrets, not any, not even in his dying moments Edward."

"But we…"

"Don't tell me you're going to give up. You can't let what happened defeat you, that would mean my husband died in vein. Even if the philosopher's stone is a dead end, there might be some other way. That's why he brought you and Ava together," She smiled at Ava and turned her attention back to Ed. "Her father's research might hold some other key. You just have to keep moving forward."

Ed looked at Ava a little confused, "Maybe your right." He said to Gracia, but nodded at Ava, locked in her eyes. She figured that he realized getting ahold of her father's file would be less of a favor and more of a necessity. If she _and_ Hughes believed there was something in there, there must be.

_Thank you for reading! I hope this didn't feel to rushed it was all written in spurts, I didn't get any consistent time to do this chapter. But please drop your thoughts, love hearing 'em._

**_Peace!_**

**_~NDG_**


	11. The Dead's Legacy

_**Dont own Fma stuffs just my OC's**_

_Hello peeps!  
This is just a short chapter, but its kind of stand alone so that's why its not as long at the others.  
I think you'll appreciate it though.  
I have a question for you guys below, check it out. :)  
__Enjoy!  
_

**State of Flux**

**Chapter 11**

The overall composition of gloom and sadness inundated the group as they left the Hughes's residence. Ava's head was still spinning coming to terms with what Gracia had told her about being old friends with her parents. It might have been one of the most comforting bits of information she's ever really come across.

"I would have never thought that they would have had friends." Ava said absently.

Winry, who walked next to her, offered a curious expression. "Why is that so unbelievable?" She trailed a little behind, so she and Ava could talk.

"My whole life, my parents have been nothing more to me than written names on paper, in reports, journals, and letters. Since I don't remember anything about them and I never knew them, they could have been an all too elaborate fallacy, a trick. Meeting someone who really actually knew them when they were alive, assures me that they really existed. It's a good feeling." Ava lowered her head; her voice was trembling a bit toward the end. Though, the shaking in her words was not due to sorrow. No. It was happiness, finally, some sort of solid proof that she's not just some sorry soul. She was indeed someone's daughter. She belonged to someone at some time, that little bit of knowledge filled a very empty place. It gave her hope.

"That's silly," Winry said voice still full of grief. "Of course they existed, because you exist. Isn't that proof enough?"

"It would seem so," Ava zipped her jacket up and pulled her hands into the sleeves, the warmth was comforting. "But sometimes, the more skeptical you can be the better. So when things don't turn out exactly the way you plan you aren't disappointed." Winry seemed to understand.

"So Maes and Gracia knew your parents?" Ed asked, he slowed his pace to match the girls.

"Yes, and they knew me, when _I_ knew them." Ava realized how odd that sounded.

"So he must have been familiar with some of your father's research, which is why he had us find you in Rush Valley." Ed eyed the cracks in the concrete; he was just being able to piece this together for himself. It was a little while before he spoke again. "I may not be able to access you're fathers file. If the research he assisted with is as cryptic as you believe, the clearance may be over my head."

Ava was suddenly flustered, how could he just throw away a lead like that? "So, there has to be some way you-"

"There is," He motioned her not to worry, but didn't seem too happy with what else he planned to say. "Colonel Mustang," He frowned. "We just have to convince him."

"Why does it seem like that may be easier said than done?" She was a little hesitant to get a third party involved, not only because it seems that involvement with the Elric's is a risk in and of itself, but that they may end up owing someone, which is something she preferred not doing. Neither a beggar or a borrower be.

"Because it is." Ed chuffed.

They carried on in silence and when they reached the hotel they broke up and went their separate ways. Al and Winry headed back to their rooms. Ed went to the cafeteria for dinner, operating on autopilot, Ava followed him quietly. The silence was driving her mad, mostly because it left her alone with her thoughts which are always too complicated. Like overdrawing a bow, she brewed more and more tension within herself, she was just waiting for the string to snap. It was hard for her to see her friends suffering; she wished she could console them. She just did her best to put on a brave face and with her newly found inspiration she knew she could be strong for them. They deserved it.

After gathering her meal she took a seat across from Ed. She looked at him while he just stared at the food on his plate. It was a morose scene that was pitifully amplified by the swaying sounds of the cafeteria musician's number.

"Ed?" She asked hesitantly, more as a permission to speak.

"Yeah?" He breathed, picking up his utensils slowly, like they were too heavy.

"I'm so sorry, please, if there's any way I could help, let me know." She went to take a drink of water, but really didn't feel thirsty, so she poked at all the little condensation droplets that formed on the glass.

"Thanks, I'm sorry too," He cut into his steak.

"Why are you sorry?" She stopped playing with her water glass and looked at him expectantly, "There's no reaso-"

"Because," He finally looked at her, "It happened to you again."

"What do you mean?" She was confused and waiting for an answer.

"You lost someone too and you don't even know it." His words cut her lightly, but were in no means meant to hurt, it was more of a compassionate statement.

"You're wrong." She said sharply. "I know what I lost, everything I have _ever_ lost." She picked up her fork and stabbed her potato, she watched the utensil as it wobbled and stuck straight up. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

Ed's eyes widened apologetically "Hey, I didn't-"

"You get to wear your flaws right out on your sleeve Ed," she looked up at the ceiling, "I have lots of practice burying mine deep inside of me, because I have the advantage of being able to do so."

Ed looked down at his automail hand, though covered with a glove, he flexed it. "What are you trying to say?"

"I may not express myself too outwardly, but that doesn't mean that Mr. Hughes being gone doesn't matter to me. I lost another connection to my past. Few remain; few things validate its existence. I lost someone, who whether I knew it or not, cared about me." She looked him right in the eyes. "I was so angry most of my life, because I felt so damn forgotten, so many times. To learn that there was someone who still, until the day he died, was looking for me is so uplifting. He still believed I was out there and never gave up searching all these years. My sorry ass had no clue, and in one day I learned all of this and also that I will never be able to meet him, to thank him, to give him all my gratitude. It fucking kills me Ed." She shut her eyes tight and a tear traced itself down her cheek, she breathed deep and covered her eyes with her hand, before more had the chance to slip out.

"Your right," He sighed and looked down. "I guess I don't understand, sorry Ave."

She dried her eyes and wiped her hands on her pants, she sniffled, smiled,_ Isn't that what Gracia said she and my mother used to call me?_ Hearing that made her feel a little better. She steadied herself, even  
chuckled a little, "Man, Ed, were a mess."

He smiled at her, "Yeah, all our problems together, we're pretty pathetic." They were finally able to start eating, thankful for the lighter mood that the conversation left off in.

Ava stood when she had finished, informed Ed that she was going to check on Winry and he should see how Al was doing. She managed to navigate her way to the hotel room, trying to remember what number Ed had said was theirs. She raised her hand to knock, she could hear light sobbing from the other side of the door. She rapped softy.

"Who is it?" Winry called from inside, trying to sound as normal as possible.

"It's me." Ava announced and peeked in the room. "I'm coming in."

Winry sat up on her bed, her pillow was tear stained and she looked exhausted. She wiped at her eyes and straightened her skirt. "Sorry, I'm such a mess." The room was dimly lit, the basket of apples they had collected earlier rested on the table.

Ava shrugged, "You have every right to be a mess." She walked in shutting the door behind her and took a seat next to blonde girl, her feel dangled off the edge of the bed. "Just get it out, kay?"

"Miss Gracia makes the best apple pie." Winry said out of the blue.

"Is that why you bought the apples?" Ava asked, "So she could make an apple pie?"

"Well, not really. I've been practicing; I was just hoping Mr. Hughes…hoping-"She was really having trouble getting out the end, but Ava knew what she was going to say.

"Hey, I'm sure it would have been perfect." She tried to smile convincingly.

"I just don't understand, how could something so terrible happen to someone who's only done good for people?" Ava looked at the poor girl, practically in shambles.

"Well, there are many answers, none of which are easy; it's only what you choose to accept." Winry was still looking to her, waiting for _something_ more comforting. Ava spilled.

"To be honest with you, death isn't something I'm all too familiar with. It may seem a girl with no family left should be saying something a little different, but I didn't suffer when my family died, that life in which I had a family just ceased to exist. I was taken in by a woman named Eleanor; she was sick but did what she could for me. She was wonderfully loving, happy and caring, but I was a 5 year old little girl, who never knew what it was to love a person, family was not a concept that I understood. I believe that even though I clearly struggled with the love I received and had no clue how to reciprocate it, Eleanor felt like I was her family, because I understand it now. You see, her son died in the war, very early on. In her dying days she found me, an orphan with no one and nothing, and as her final deed in this world she raised me as her own; A confused, fractured, helpless, but happy, little girl who carried a piece of her on. In some small way, I am her legacy." Ava was entirely unaware of the door opening, her eyes where fixed on the floor.

"Maes, he was like Ed and Al's Eleanor. He was there for them, wholly and entirely, maybe in the beginning they didn't quite understand why, but he played a key role in their lives that has enabled them to proceed on the path that they have chosen. He was quite obviously a great man, one day I hope to understand just how great. I can gather a small empathetic understanding given that he was trying to find me when he heard about what happened with my family. I'm sure my life would have been incredible if Maes and Gracia raised me, but I wouldn't have given that final purpose to Eleanor, I wouldn't have traveled, learned and experienced the things that I had, that have made me who I am."

Ava sighed deeply "I can just hope that when I die, I leave a legacy half as strong as he did. I don't want money, I don't want fame; I want scars, markings of a life well led." She looked up at Winry.

"That's one way to put it." Ed sounded from the doorway, Al hovered behind him, and they were looking at Ava. She smiled a little embarrassed.

"I guess, that does make me feel a little better." Winry had stopped crying.

"Winry, you should get something to eat, the cafeteria is closing soon." Ed said taking a few steps into the room.

"I'm really not that hungry, but I think I'll turn in." She tried to smile believably.

"Suit yourself." Ed shrugged.

"Hey, I'll go hang with them for a bit, I'll be next door. I'm not tired yet and I don't want to keep you up." Ava hopped off of the bed.

"Alright," Winry laid back down Ed and Al turned to leave. "Ava?"

Ava was making her way to the door and turned to look back. "What's up?"

"Thank you, for what you said. It's a nice perspective to have, it helped a lot." Winry drew her covers up.

Ava nodded, "I'm glad I could help." She closed the door behind her quietly and entered the next room down the hall.

The brothers were seated in the living area of the room. Ed was on the couch with the little book Ava had given him back in Dublith open and he was thumbing through the pages. Al sat silently in a chair, but turned to greet her when she entered.

"Hey Al." Ava said halfheartedly, she was plum beat emotionally. If she had to muster another smile today she might collapse. She walked over to the sofa across from where Ed sat. She paused before she sat down, this little adventure has yet to have a dull day since they started out. She wanted, for a moment because that's all she needed, to feel normal. All the chaos with the homunculi, her father's research, Mr. Hughes Murder, hell; her own rocked core, it was, at this time, a little overwhelming.

She looked at her hands, her fingerless gloves; the metal plates were scuffed and scratched. She slipped them off and tossed them on the table. The iron bars on her back felt heavy and unnecessary she unhooked the belt that held them crossed at her back and removed it, tossing it to the ground. She unzipped her jacket and draped it over the back of the couch then sank down into it herself.

"Rough day." Al said, it wasn't really a question. Ed peeked up at her from the book.

"For everyone." She breathed, pulling the band out of her hair, black wavy tendrils fell over her shoulders, Ava put the band on her wrist. She rubbed at the dark circles that cradled her eyes then focused on Ed. "Learn anything yet?"

"Yeah, It's just relearning the way you use alchemy and where you harness the power to initiate an alchemical reaction. That's a little confusing to me." He exhaled eyeing a few lines intently.

"Well, you have to start at the source. That source is you. I know you're an accomplished alchemist and all, but don't try and rush alkahestry, you don't want to turn someone's broken arm into a wooden post on accident." Ava stretched and brought her legs up to lie on the couch, she stared up at the ceiling with her hands folded at her stomach. "Maybe we'll have a chance to work on it tomorrow."

"Sounds good," Ed grinned, glanced up at her again, and then it faded. She looked peaceful, but you could see certain heaviness in her eyes, where they burned a hole right through the ceiling in the way that they seemed to be looking at something much further away. He felt like he should say something, but didn't know what so stayed quiet.

"Hey, Ava, I was just wondering," Al began sheepishly, "Where are you from? We still really don't know much about you." Al drew back a little, feeling that maybe his words where too presumptuous, "Uh- well, you know, we know _you_ and, we just don't-"

"Al, hey," She held a hand up, "It's fine, you've just never asked before. I'm from a town called Leith, It's north of New Optain and west of Liore."

"Leith? Can't say we've ever been there, maybe we've passed through." Ed thought aloud.

"It's nothing much, a few textile mills, lots of little homes and some farms. You didn't miss much." Ava explained.

"Would you ever go back there?" Al asked.

"Yeah, I guess. I'm always afraid I left some stone unturned in that dammed house." She said with indifference.

"We should take you to Resembool sometime; I think you'd like it there, that's where we grew up." Al said happily.

"Sure, sounds nice." She yawned, and put her arms behind her head and closed her eyes for a moment. Before she knew it, she drifted off to sleep.

_Thank you for reading! This was an interesting chapter to right, lots of feels and junk._

_Thinking about adding some small snippet stories to the beginning or end of the coming chapters, they would be of Ava and her life and travels before she meets the brothers. Like when she goes into her actual home for the first time, her first train ride out of leith, ways and places where she learned her lessons of life and all that._

_Would that be something you're interested in?_

_'till the next chappy  
_

**~NDG**


End file.
